A Phantom Twilight
by Mystic Lady Fae
Summary: Wanting to start over, Elicia Fox decides to move to Forks, WA. There she will find a lot more than she expected, and experience more than she could ever imagine. Modern Erik-OC, set after the Twilight books and film.
1. Starting Over

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to _**Phantom of the Opera **_or_** Twilight**_. Only original characters and concepts are mine.

AN: Here I am with yet another _**Phantom**_ story. I would like to warn my readers that I have not read the _**Twilight**_ books (much to my sorrow), and am going off of the films and Wikipedia for my info, so for those who are avid fans and sticklers for the book canon, please don't get angry and leave scathing reviews or feedback if I'm wrong about anything specific. From past experience, I am going to gently remind everyone that if you don't like it, please feel free to go elsewhere. I won't hold it against you, and hope that anyone who dislikes this story will return to read another in the future.

For those readers who decide to stick with me on this story, please enjoy yourselves, and don't forget to review. Thank you.

PS: The lead female character's name is pronounced El-licia; like Alicia, but with El, instead of Al. Thanks!

**Chapter 1: Starting Over:**

"Are you _sure_ you want to do this?" Dad had pleaded.

"I'm sure. I've found a good job there, the standard of living is lower, and it's not that far from a city, so I can get stuff I can't find in town. I'll be fine."

That had been last week –now I wasn't so sure.

The drive up to Forks from my hometown in Oregon had been long, stressful, and lonely. Dad had offered to drive up with me and help with the move, but the movers had already gone up ahead of me, so there would have been no real point. Besides, Dad was just worried that the movers would take my stuff and run. I doubted that would happen, considering the chief-of-police himself was going to oversee the unloading of my belongings.

"Elicia, I still don't like the idea of you going all the way up there," Dad had said. "I can help you find a job around here."

That wouldn't be a good idea, and we both knew it. Things had been testy between me and Mom lately, mostly because I'd told off one of her brothers (my uncle) when he'd insulted me. He'd said I was lazy because I hadn't found a job after months of unemployment, and implied that I was leeching off of my parents, who were good, hard-working people letting me live at home while I job-searched.

Of course, that had pissed me off. Since I'd been getting the same lecture from him for weeks, I'd finally told him exactly where he could shove his comments. My aunts, uncles, and mother had been shocked, and had demanded that I apologize, but what for? They knew I wasn't a dead-beat mooch of a daughter, so what did I have to apologize for? It wasn't as though they'd tried to defend me or anything, and that particular uncle had always been an ass, so it was time for someone to stand up to him.

Sadly, there was a price to my showing a bit of backbone. When we were alone, Mom had flipped out and told me I had no right to insult her brother, and that I needed to say I was sorry. I flat out told her I wouldn't, and she told me to apologize or get out. My choice was obvious.

I had done a lot of searching over the Internet, and finally found a job posting that seemed interesting: administrative assistant to the chief-of-police in a small town called Forks, located way up on the western tip of the Washington peninsula. It would mostly be paper shuffling, organizing things, and probably getting his coffee or something, but the pay was good, the standard of living was low, and I was actually going to have my own tiny cottage to live in. So why shouldn't I go for it?

Eager and hopeful, I'd submitted my resume and application. A few days later, the chief himself, Charlie Swan, called me and said I could have the job if I passed a drug test, which could be taken care of when I moved up to Forks.

"I've already done a background check on you, and called a few of your references," he'd said over the phone. "You come up clean, and your former employers had glowing things to say about you, so I'm going to let you come up here, get your blood and urine taken, and let you get started. If things don't work out for you here at the station for some odd reason, I'll find you another job. You won't have to worry about a thing."

Well, that was reassuring, so I said that I would accept the job and head up there within a couple weeks. There was a cottage in Forks that had come on the market as a rent-to-own, so I'd be staying there. It was a small place, but since I didn't have much, that was fine with me.

A green highway sign went past, reading that Forks was the next exit. I pulled off the freeway and tried to follow the map I'd memorized before leaving home. In a few minutes, I was in front of the police station, and a tall, somewhat serious man in a police jacket, with dark hair and a moustache, came out to greet me.

"Elicia Fox?" he asked.

I nodded. "Actually, you can call me Ellie for short. Elicia is a bit of a mouthful."

He gave me a tiny smile. "I'm Chief Swan, but you can call me Charlie. You want to come inside, have something to drink? You must have been driving for hours."

I _had_ been in the car for a while, but I didn't need anything to drink. "Actually, I'd love to use your restroom."

He actually grinned. "Okay, come on in. I can honestly tell you that the bathrooms are clean, unlike in other places. Plus, we can take care of that drug test."

Once I'd used the facilities and submitted my sample for testing, Chief Swan showed me around the station. It was small, and kind of rustic, but the people were friendly, and welcomed me to their community. I was invited over to a few of their houses for coffee, and even given a few pre-made dinners, like a tuna casserole, a lasagna, and a batch of BBQ beef brisket to take home.

"They knew you wouldn't be able to cook for a while, so their wives all made up stuff for you," Charlie said. "As a bachelor, I'm no cook, so I get to show you the ropes and give you a brief tour of the town."

After we'd made our way through the station, Charlie escorted me to my new home. The cottage was one story, with a living room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and study. To my relief, everything looked new, like it had just been refurbished, so I wouldn't have to worry about rusty pipes, unsound walls, and other unpleasant things that came with old houses.

The living room had all my boxes, and the movers had been nice enough to assemble my bed in the bedroom. The heavier furniture had been set in the right rooms, but not exactly where I wanted them, which was okay –all I had to do was arrange things to my liking, and unpack.

"Well, I'll let you get settled in," Charlie said, tucking his hands into his pant pockets. "You start work in two days. You know, give you time to unpack and everything. You work eight to five every weekday, and if I need you on the weekends, I'll try and let you know the day before. And, of course, you'll get overtime for the extra work. It's only fair."

"What about vacation days?" I asked.

He smiled. "To start off, I'll give you a week. If the rest of the officers get along with you, and you end up staying longer than six months, I'll make it two weeks and move up from there. How's that sound?"

I grinned. "Sounds good to me."

"For now, though, how about you come over to my place tonight?" he asked. "No, no, it's not a date; like I said, I'm a confirmed bachelor. My daughter and her husband would like to meet you, so it'll be the four of us."

"Sure," I said with a shrug. "What time should I be there?"

* * *

It was eight o'clock when I got to Charlie's house, and upon meeting his daughter and son-in-law, my first thought was, '_Wow, these people are a bit young to be married_.'

Both Isabella and Edward Cullen didn't look a day over eighteen, and I had to remember that was the legal age to get married. They must have been high school sweethearts, and Charlie must have approved of the match, so I decided not to say anything.

And I had to admit, Bella was a lucky girl. Edward was a very good-looking guy with some nice features: high cheekbones, strong jaw, golden brown eyes, and some messy bronze hair that looked dashing on him. He was unusually pale, but it suited him.

As for Bella, the girl was sweet-faced, with dark brown hair and eyes, like me. She was several inches taller than me, though, and also very fair-skinned. When she moved, it was like watching a dancer, though when I asked if she was one, she said no.

The four of us gathered in Charlie's living room, with Charlie, Bella and Edward talking about the town, its people, and with them giving advice on places to go, things to do, etc. Charlie even provided a pad of paper for me to scribble things down on, which was handy.

As I wrote down their suggestions and tips, however, I could feel someone's eyes focused on me, but couldn't be sure whose they were. Every time I looked up, my three hosts would be looking elsewhere, so I basically spent my entire visit to Charlie's feeling like a bug in a glass jar.

By the time I left, I was relieved to be getting away from the eyes of my watcher. It was like someone was trying to figure out what I was thinking, but didn't want me to know it.

Getting back to my own place, I decided to turn in for the night. The unpleasant task of unpacking could wait for morning.

* * *

I woke to the sound of someone knocking on my door, pulling me from a very nice sleep. Cursing whoever it was, I got out of bed and opened the door to find Bella and Edward standing on my doorstep.

"Uh, hi," I said, embarrassed by my bed-head and baggy pajamas.

Bella looked just as uncomfortable as I did. "Sorry," she apologized. "We wanted to help you unpack, but I wanted to come later. Edward insisted that an early start meant that you'd finish faster."

She elbowed him in the side and whispered, "I told you we should have called first."

"Oh, I don't mind. And what Edward says is logical, I suppose," I admitted with a smile, "But I'm not even dressed. Would you guys mind waiting while I freshen up and get us something to eat?"

"We've already eaten," Edward said. "Go ahead. We'll wait in the living room."

"Okay." There wasn't much else I could say to that.

I quickly dressed, combed my hair, and had some of the tuna casserole that one of Charlie's officers had given me. The three of us then got to work.

* * *

Unloading a box full of dishware, Edward focused his mind-reading abilities on Ellie, and was relatively happy with what he found.

The five-foot, three-inch tall brunette was a good person with a good heart. There weren't many of those around these days, especially with a quirky sense of humor. Bella liked her, and since his wife had a good sense about things like that, it was good enough for him.

At least now he wouldn't have to use his power on her after today; Edward had seen her discomfort back at Charlie's house, and he knew that was his fault –it had been the only way to get a 'read' of her.

However, it was unusual for someone to actually sense whenever he tried to read their thoughts. That Ellie had sensed it was extraordinary, and Edward had an inkling of what her power would be if she were to be turned into a vampire.

'_Not that I want her to be a new member of the family_,' he shuddered. He wouldn't wish this existence on anyone, not even if they had a choice. '_But now that I know what kind of person she is, we can at least become acquaintances_.'

They couldn't really be _friends_ exactly –vampires didn't really have them, not when they lived forever and humans didn't. But they could at least have a few good times together, since Ellie worked for his father-in-law.

"Ellie, where do these go?" he asked over his shoulder, trying to untangle the dishes from their newspaper wrappings.

"Just set them on the counter," she called from the living room. "I'll take care of it later!"

Smiling, Edward caught a brief thought from her mind: Ellie had no idea how she was going to organize her kitchen, or the rest of her house, and would probably spend days trying to make the place feel "right." For a twenty-something-year-old woman, she was a bit scatterbrained when it came to organization.

'_Alice would love her_,' he thought, grinning.

But for now, he had to finish unpacking the dishes.

* * *

Unpacking goes a lot faster with three people, but somehow it went super-fast with Edward and Bella helping me. Seriously, those two had Superman speed or something, because we managed to get _everything_ out of _every_ box. True, I didn't have much in the first place, but I'd never heard of anyone taking less than a week to unpack their belongings, no matter how little they had.

By the end of the day, we'd finished moving boxes around, unpacking, and unwrapping my stuff. All that was left was for the boxes to be disassembled, the newspapers to be recycled, and the furniture to be arranged _just right_, and I'd be all set.

"We can handle the furniture," Edward offered, looking over at his wife. "It'd be no problem."

"Thanks, but I want to do it," I said, smiling. "I have my own little system of where I want things to go, and if it ends up wrong, the only person I have to blame is myself."

The Cullens disagreed and basically forced me to let them help move the bigger furniture. It was nightfall by the time my bed, desk, vanity, small dining table, and wardrobe had been arranged like I wanted. At least I could arrange the coffee table on my own.

I offered them some dinner, but they refused, saying they were on a special diet they couldn't go off of. After they had left, I realized that I had taken several breaks during the day to grab a snack or beverage, but Edward and Bella hadn't wanted a thing.

"That has to be some diet they're on," I muttered, microwaving some BBQ beef brisket and instant mashed potatoes.

That night, I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

* * *

"Good evening, Ellie," a soft voice said above me.

Looking up from my paperwork, I smiled. "Good evening, Doctor Cullen."

I'd learned last week that Doctor Cullen was Edward's dad, and Bella's father-in-law. I'd gone in for a routine physical (always handy to do when working for the police, even if all I did was shuffle paper), and been introduced to the man who was, some claimed, the best doctor Forks had ever had.

I had to admit, he was a very skilled physician, and probably the best I'd ever dealt with. He was kind, patient, and willing to do everything in his power to make a person comfortable while he treated them. I usually didn't like male doctors examining me, but I didn't mind with Doctor Cullen. He kind of creeped me out with how eerily pale he was, but then, this was Forks; nearly everyone here was pale.

"I'm afraid the chief is a bit busy right now," I apologized. "Do you want to sit down for a bit?"

"No, no, I just wanted to drop off some reports," he said, handing me a stack of very full manila folders. "Sorry to be handing these to you so late in the day, but Charlie wanted these as soon as possible, or I would have brought them tomorrow morning."

I smiled and set aside the stack of papers. "No worries. I'll give it to him before I head out and have something to file tomorrow when I come in."

Doctor Cullen chuckled. "Going easy on you, is he? I'd have thought he would pile more work on you, given that you've been here a few months already."

"Nah, he's probably waiting to drop a huge, week-long project on me any day now," I joked. "You know how bosses are."

"Aw, you've figured out my secret plan," Chief Swan said from behind me. He'd been on the phone to another city's chief, and apparently just finished. "Now I have to come up with another one. How are you, Carlisle?"

Just then, the timer on my desk went of, signaling the end of my work day. Doctor Cullen (I couldn't address him by his first name, since I respected him too much) gave me a smile and headed to Charlie's desk while I got ready to head out.

"Ellie, do you want to come over Saturday?" Charlie asked me. "Sue's coming over to cook while Billy and I watch the game. She could use some company. You know, so you girls can talk about…well, whatever girls talk about when guys aren't around. She liked talking to you the last few times you came around."

I smiled. Sue Clearwater and Billy Black were part of the local Native American tribe, the Quileute. Sue's husband had died a few years earlier of a heart attack, and I could tell that she and Charlie were starting to create sparks between them. Sometimes, she'd pop over to his place, either to cook for him or keep him company. It was cute, watching them talk to one another and occasionally flirt.

Billy was hilarious –always cracking jokes, or making fun of his son, Jacob. I'd met Jacob once while he was dropping off his dad, and thought him to be as fun as Billy, but without the love of sports. It was strange, though, how Jacob seemed in top-notch shape for a guy who didn't believe in participating in physical activities. I'd noticed the hard muscles of his arms and shoulders as he rolled his father up Charlie's front steps, and I could see the outlines of a six-pack under his tank-tops. If I weren't eight years older than he was, I'd totally go for him.

But as much as I wanted to hang out with them, if only for Sue's home cooking, but I had something more important to take care of.

"Sorry, Chief, but it's time for my scheduled call home," I said. "Dad's orders. He wants every detail I can give him, and that usually takes a few hours. The long-distance phone bills are killing me."

Charlie grinned and leaned back in his chair as Doctor Cullen shook his head. "Well, as fathers, we know how that goes," Charlie replied. "Get to it, young lady. I'll see you Monday, bright and early."

Waving to them, I headed out into the cool evening.

* * *

AN: Well, hopefully I didn't mess the _**Twilight**_ universe up too badly with this story. Erik will appear in the next chapter, and you'll just have to wait and see if he's a vampire or a werewolf. Thanks for reading, and please review!


	2. A Stranger in a Strange Place

Disclaimer: I don't own anything _**Phantom of the Opera **_or_** Twilight**_ (though I wish I did). Only original characters belong to me.

AN: Here's Erik! He's going to be a bit different in this story than in my previous ones, because it's completely in modern times, and he's never been the Phantom we all know and love. I'm basically taking the traditional character and molding him to fit the story, so please don't hit me with flames about how out-of-character he is compared to my other works.

Thanks for reading, and please review.

**Chapter 2: A Stranger in a Strange Place:**

Forks. It had to be the oddest name he'd ever heard for a town. Still, he wouldn't judge a place by its name; he had to see what certain members of the community were like first. If the rumors he'd heard were true, he'd settle here. If not, he'd move on to another place nearby and hope for the best.

'_Not that I've had much experience with towns_,' he thought with a sneer.

Isolation had been the firm belief of the Garnier family, _his_ family, for centuries. People called them strange and eccentric, but only because most of his family had not gone out in Parisian society like other nobles. Oh, they wanted to, desperately, but considering their family bloodline, it wasn't a good idea.

"Being a werewolf is very overrated," Erik muttered as he gripped the steering wheel of his car. "Just like coming from a long line of French nobles, dating back centuries, is overrated."

* * *

No one in his family knew who had first introduced the "curse," as they called it, but most suspected it was from one of the marriages made with a foreign family. In all likelihood, it had all started with that German noblewoman, Anna, a lady who had come with a vast dowry, a fair face, and a secret that was not revealed until after the birth of her second child. That was when she'd discovered her husband having a fling with a parlor maid, and lost her temper. In the blink of an eye, she'd changed into a tremendous wolf, right there in the library, and her family's secret had come out.

Fortunately, no one had been hurt in her rampage through the estate, and the maid had been threatened into silence as she was bundled off into the French countryside. No one knew what had happened to the maid afterwards, but from that day on, there had been a huge uproar in the Garnier family. There was worry over the children that Lady Anna Garnier had borne, and for the safety of the family, as well as the fact that the family's blood was now 'tainted.'

By watching Lady Anne's children, the family was relieved that only one of her sons had inherited the werewolf 'curse.' The eldest son grew up without difficulty, much to the family's joy, but the second son changed shape when, at fourteen-years-old, he lost his temper in an argument with his cousins. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt.

It was then that the Garnier family retreated from society, fleeing to their country estates and practically living like hermits in order to hide their shameful secret from the rest of the world. They might have been nobles, but the Garniers had their morals, and family meant a great deal to them. They would not send a single unfortunate soul to live alone, especially not with such a tremendous secret to bear.

In the seclusion of the countryside, the two sons of Anna grew into men. Believing his blood to be clean and pure of werewolf taint, the eldest was sent off to Paris to find a decent marriage prospect. When it came to the youngest, however, the family did their best to persuade the poor cursed lad never to marry and spread his shameful bloodline beyond himself. They could not have known that the boy would defy them by marrying a young housemaid in secret, and that he would pass down the ability to change into a werewolf.

When the younger son's marriage and offspring had been discovered, a great deal of damage control had to be done, and as well as much planning for the future. Since forbidding love or marriage might very well end the family line, the heads of the Garnier clan decided that all future marriages had to be carefully planned and negotiated, preferably through a member of the family without the werewolf blood. This man (or, on occasion, woman) was to be sent into Parisian society as a sort of matchmaker for the young heirs and heiresses of Garnier family fortunes.

Given that the Garniers were so wealthy and well-known, it wasn't that difficult to find a husband or bride for the young folk. However, _keeping_ that spouse after the family secret was revealed tended to be rather difficult. Many divorces and separations had occurred over the years, most before a child could be produced.

Luckily, there were a few matches that were well-made, and while it was true that they risked spreading the werewolf bloodline, the family hoped that it would thin out over time, and eventually fade away with each generation.

Unfortunately, it did not. Even worse, word began to spread about the frequent divorces and separations within the Garnier marriages, and talk spread of how odd and eccentric the family was becoming. Eventually, fewer and fewer noble families were willing to part with their sons or daughters, even for a political or social match. Some married into the family for love, but not many, and soon the Garnier family's numbers began to dwindle.

Now, after centuries of struggling to keep the family line intact, there was only one Garnier left: and that was Erik.

* * *

It was hard enough being an only child, but it was especially hard being the last of a noble and distinguished family. Erik had grown up with the knowledge that he might be a werewolf, and when the change had occurred in his teenage years, his parents had been forceful with their demands.

"You _must_ marry, and soon," his father often declared. "You are the last of our family, and you must produce an heir. We do not wish our family's wealth to be handed over to one of those off-shot branches, or worse, the government."

"And you must not leave the estate for too long," his mother always reminded. "If you were to loose your temper in public and change shape, terrible things could happen to you."

Of course, those orders contradicted each other. "How am I to meet a woman if I cannot leave the estate for long?" Erik demanded of them.

He often pushed that issue with his parents because he was tired of being cooped up. After his first change, they decided to take him on small trips in order to add 'variety' to his life. They took him to different estates owned by the family, and sometimes on a tour of moderate towns around France. His parents claimed it was so he could be around people, see what the world was like, and be somewhat prepared for when it was time for him to go searching for a wife.

But Erik wanted more than these petty excursions, especially since he was (ironically) rarely allowed to socialize. He wanted to learn, to explore, to experience life and see the world, just as any young man did. But he couldn't, not when he could loose his temper, change shape, and possibly tear out a person's throat with his teeth.

At first, Erik had followed his parents' orders, not because he wanted to, but because he _had_ to. His father had the werewolf gene, as did his mother; they were _very_ distant cousins, and because they were the last direct descendants of the Garnier line, their marriage had been arranged by their parents. Fortunately for everyone, they loved one another, and had produced a child fairly quickly. A pity the birth had been a rough one, and his mother hadn't been able to bear anymore children.

As their only child, Erik had been cherished, and given everything he wanted. He would have become quite the spoiled brat if it hadn't been for his mother's loyal friend, Antoinette Giry, teaching him to become a good man. Antoinette had had a way with words that ensured Erik did as he was told. She had left for England after Erik had made his first shape-change; Antoinette would not risk her daughter, Meg, getting hurt if Erik were to loose his temper with his childhood playmate. Lord, how he missed them.

Even though he'd been given everything he could want, Erik had apparently been born restless. Inside, he seemed to itch for something, something that he couldn't identify but which lay just beyond his grasp. To stave off this "itch," Erik attempted to keep himself busy. He read every book in the house, and took up a dozen hobbies, ranging from architecture, music composition, sculpture, art history, even musical instruments. All these provided a distraction for a while, but only until he mastered them –which he did, and quickly.

His parents recognized his genius, and had done their best to provide the finest education for him. They bought all the supplies, instruments, and books he could ever want or need, even going so far as to getting him a music system so that he could record his compositions and play them back. Television, however, was banned; his parents always claimed it would damage his mind somehow. He wasn't sure if that was true, or if they just wanted to limit his exposure to the wonders television might present.

But in spite of his mother and father's attempt to keep him 'happily isolated,' a part of Erik fought against the reins they put him on. He wanted to go out and meet other people, to find someone to love and who would love him in return, even in spite of his…unusualness. In fact, Erik was so desperate for his freedom that he had decided to run away at the age of twenty. He'd gathered as much money as he could find in the house, packed a bag, and left.

He made it as far as the border of the estate. That was where his parents had found him resting beneath a tree, him in his human shape, them in their wolf shapes: his father a large wolf the color of a storm cloud, and his mother a pale silver-grey that suited her slim, graceful shape.

For a moment, Erik had been stunned. They rarely shifted into their wolf forms, and when they did, it was only when they were in dense forest. Never had they appeared in wolf-shape in such a bold and aggressive manner.

He had been afraid, of course. His parents had authority over him, both as his mother and father, and as the alpha male and female. His mother, ever the diplomat, had spoken to him _inside his head_, gently asking him to come home. He hadn't known they could do _that_, but his momentary surprise was pushed aside by a flat-out refusal to go back.

"I won't be a prisoner anymore," he declared, getting to his feet. "I want to live my own life."

His father had snarled before knocking him over with a huge paw. '_You're place is here_,' he growled inside Erik's mind. '_Now, will you come home willingly, or do we have to drag you_?'

That had made Erik loose his own temper, and before he could blink, he had shifted; becoming a pure black wolf that nearly matched his father in size, but not quite. His mother had tried to reason with them, but Erik was too angry to listen. He had pounced on his father's back, and the fight had begun.

It was over quickly. His father, being the alpha male and much larger and stronger, had won, but at a price: the right side of Erik's face had been badly wounded in their fight, permanently scaring him.

Back at home, Erik had been a week in healing. Afterwards, he had taken one look in the mirror and resigned himself to a life of total seclusion. He had been handsome before: tall, broad-shouldered, with fine chiseled facial features, green eyes and black hair. With his face ruined, what woman would want him now?

His parents spent three years worrying about him. His father, who wasn't normally one for apologies, had felt terrible for causing his son pain, and his mother always _hovered_, something that mothers were naturally good at.

Both had done their best to tend to him, right up until the day they died.

* * *

Erik shivered as he remembered that terrible night, and the day following it. One evening, his parents had gone out to hunt in wolf form, and never come home. That was also the night Erik had met Nadir Khan.

Nadir was an older Persian man who studied the supernatural, and his studies had brought him close to the Garnier estate. He had been in the same woods as Erik's parents when he heard what sounded like a terrible battle being waged. He had peered over a small grassy knoll, and there they were: a group of robbers and two huge wolves, tearing each other apart.

Watching in horror, Nadir had seen the wolves destroy the well-armed men, but at the expense of their own lives. They had shifted into their human forms at the end, and Nadir had gone to see if there was anything that could be done for them. There wasn't. Lord and Lady Garnier had pleaded with the Persian, asking him to take care of their son, and to try and get him out into the world.

"Tell him we love him," his mother had whispered, "And that we only wanted what was best for him."

That night, Nadir approached the twenty-three year old Erik to tell him what had happened. "They died protecting their lands from invaders and thieves," he said. "But most of all, they died protecting _you_."

He then spent an entire week consoling the new Lord Garnier, and helping him get his parents' affairs in order. Nadir even dealt with the lawyers and paperwork, something Erik would never have been able to do on his own.

From then on, the two were fast friends. And from his new friend and mentor, Erik discovered modern technologies that his parents had previously refused him, and learned about the world outside his estate. Not only that, but Nadir quickly decided to move into the mansion so that Erik would not be lonely. He also taught Erik some much-needed social graces, etiquette, and most importantly, how to get along with another person who wasn't family.

They lived together as two bachelors for over ten years. Once and a while, Nadir would leave to bring Erik the latest in entertainment technology, like a DVD player, new television, or stereo system. Other times it was the latest movie, or just recently, a computer and a cell phone. Until his father's death, using the phone had been out of the question for Erik; it was for only for his father's use, and only for business and emergencies. The only time Erik had used the phone was reporting to the family lawyer that his parents had been killed by armed robbers.

But the other reason Nadir left the estate was to gather news, both in regards to his course of study in the supernatural, and of the world. Then, six months ago, Nadir brought him the strangest and most unexpected news.

"There are werewolves in America," he said over drinks one night.

Erik nearly choked on his brandy. "_What_?"

Smirking, Nadir told him what he had discovered. From his friends in the supernatural communities, Nadir had heard talk of an epic battle between werewolves and vampires on the west coast of America.

"Not that they know that we know," Nadir hastily explained. "We scholars of the supernatural gather such knowledge secretly and discreetly. In fact, a few years ago, I myself had heard of a rash of unusual killings and attacks in Seattle, Washington. Others must also have put two-and-two together, and realized that a vampire army was being formed. That sort of thing doesn't go unnoticed by us, though we must be as careful as those we study so that we are not discovered."

Nadir went on to explain that in this particular incident, both vampires and werewolves had agreed to a truce, and lived there in relative peace. "Although the two races traditionally do not get along, the Native American tribe there, the Quileute, have struck a peace treaty with the vampire clan dwelling there. If you wish to live among others of your kind, this might be the place to do so."

It had never occurred to Erik that there might be other werewolves in the world. Each generation of Garniers had believed that their family alone had been cursed and their blood tainted. This fear caused them to hide away from the world, fearful of what might happen if they left the countryside. He told Nadir so, and the older man had actually been surprised at the idea.

"I thought you only hid because of your scars," the Persian said. "No, werewolves are not a curse; it's genetic. Sometimes a person gets the gene, sometimes they don't. There is no curse upon you. You have no need to hide, as long as you keep control of your temper."

At that moment, Erik decided to take charge of his life. He had no use for many of the family's estates –most of them hadn't been used in decades, and considering that the bloodline had dwindled down to just him, _that_ was no surprise. What could he possibly do with six or eight country estates? The family had even held onto a townhouse in Paris, though no one had used it in a hundred years; it was mostly kept for appearances.

"Nadir, I want you to do a few things for me," he said, swirling his glass of brandy.

* * *

Now here he was, in Forks, following the roadway signs directing him to the Quileute reservation. Most of his ancestral homes had been sold; the only ones he'd kept were the estate he'd grown up in and the townhouse in Paris. He may have been isolated, but even Erik knew that the property in Paris was valuable, and that was where all of the antiquities from the sold estates had been moved to. Fortunately, the townhouse was on the vast side, and had been relatively unfurnished for the past century (due to lack of residency).

Nadir, genius that he was, had rented the townhouse out to a very rich couple, which was bringing in a good income for Erik to live off of. He was already rich, but after selling the family estates and renting out the townhouse, he was even better off than before. A financial cushion was always a good thing.

'_And thank god Nadir taught me how to drive_,' he thought, smiling as he pulled off the main road. Erik rather enjoyed driving; it was liberating for him.

Sitting there was a cluster of wood buildings, possibly the central government of the tribe. A few cars, trucks, and a motorcycle were parked in front of the largest building, which was only one story tall, but long and wide. That was where the council was waiting for him.

Taking a deep breath, Erik pulled into a parking space.

* * *

"It's a very generous offer, Mr. Garnier," Billy Black said, folding his hands and leaning forward on the table. "Donations to provide scholarships and finances for the tribe's schools, funds to build a youth center and public hangout for the kids –it's all very hard to turn down. But why are you asking to live among us? I doubt that a small town like Forks and our humble reservation can offer the finer things you're used to in France."

Erik reached up and rubbed his white mask in thought. "I had a very sheltered and secluded upbringing," he said, trying not to let his nervousness show. "I wanted to see new places, and Forks seemed the most promising."

"But why?" asked Sue Clearwater, eying him carefully as she spoke. "What could we possibly have that France does not?"

He took a deep breath; it was time to take a chance. "It has werewolves, for one."

The tribal members went quiet, and an eerie silence settled in the room. Eyes grew shifty, nervous, or cold, and Erik merely stood there, calm as the storm approached. They were going to try and deny it, he was sure.

"What makes you say something crazy like that?" Billy asked, leaning back in his wheelchair.

"I say it because it's true," Erik replied. "Whether you know it or not, there are people in the world who spend their whole lives studying the supernatural, and they believe in werewolves and vampires. They know your secret, but will never tell anyone unless that information is much needed."

He took another deep breath. "However, they told me because I am a werewolf as well."

_That_ certainly set them off. A few council members voiced their disbelief while others sat staring in surprise. Arguments broke out while Erik stood there, growing more and more agitated with each passing minute. He could feel his blood heating, his human canine teeth slowly growing more elongated and his breathing growing shallower.

"Enough!" Sue Clearwater snapped, silencing everyone. "_Look_ at him!"

They did. Billy eyed him over and nodded. "Well, even if none of _you_ recognize the traits, _I _certainly do. After all, my son Jake is the head of his own wolf pack."

The other council members nodded as Erik stared at him. Billy chuckled. "I'll tell you what," he said as he leaned forward on the table. "We'll give you a trial run, so to speak. There's a house that straddles the border between Forks and the reservation that's been empty for a few years. You can live there for the next six months, and if things work out, we'll let you stay."

Erik made to thank him, but Billy stopped him. "But there's a catch," he said. "Our only request is that, as a werewolf, you abide by the treaty we hold between ourselves and the vampire clan that lives in Forks."

"The Cullen family is the vampire clan we speak of," Sue put in. "The first rule is that they stay off our land, and we don't reveal their true natures to the residents of Forks. Rule number two is that if they were to bite a human or turn them into a vampire, the treaty is broken, and the wolf packs will destroy them."

"If the treaty is broken, we expect you to side with us," Bill said. "Is that understood?"

Erik nodded. After all, what did he have to loose?

* * *

'_So this is what it's like to have friends_,' Erik thought with wonder, staring at the dishes of food stacked on his dining table and kitchen countertop. Well, not 'friends,' exactly, but it was nice having people act decently towards him. He'd never expected them to be hospitable.

Most of the Quileute tribe had dropped off welcoming gifts of already cooked dishes, beverages, and even a bouquet of flowers, courtesy of Sue. It warmed him, knowing that they cared.

Looking around his new home, Erik felt more fulfilled that he had back in France. The house was minuscule compared to his French estate, but it was certainly spacious enough for one person. The building was in pretty good condition –a bit battered from the rough, damp weather, but the walls and roof were sound, he had heat, air conditioning, plumbing, and tight windows, so he had nothing to complain about.

"Just a quick coat of paint, a shopping trip into Port Angeles, some groceries, and you'll be all set," Billy had declared when handing over the keys to the place. "My son Jacob can help whenever you need it."

Erik didn't care about painting the outside, which was a soothing blue-green, and in fair shape. The inside walls were all hardwood, so painting would have been difficult, at best. He left the house as it was.

A few of his things from France were scattered about: his favorite books, his sculpting tools, paint sets, a few hundred empty sheet music pages to write on, and some decorative furniture to fill the place. A quick call to Nadir or a shopping trip would take care of the rest of the furniture. The tribe had generously included appliances with the house, namely as a 'thank-you' for the donations he'd made towards the schools.

The best part was that, after he'd moved his possessions in, Erik had been given the surprise of his life: a housewarming party by the Quileute tribe.

Honestly, he hadn't expected a warm welcome, but the women of the tribe had brought a mound of food for him, ranging from salads to lasagna, and something called a "casserole." The men had brought bottles of beer and wine, and kindly offered their home repair skills, just in case he needed them. Even the Chief-of-Police in Forks, Charlie Swan, had welcomed him with a six-pack of beer and a warm handshake. Erik wasn't particularly fond of beer, but was willing to put up with it, just this once.

But the biggest surprise had come from Jacob Black, Billy's son. The boy couldn't have been more than eighteen, but he appeared very mature for his age when he showed up at Erik's home with an offer of friendship.

"I know that my tribe doesn't trust you, but I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt," Jacob had said, his arms crossed over his chest. "I'm going to give you temporary permission to run through our woods in your wolf form. As long as you don't bother or hurt anyone, we'll leave you alone."

It had to be one of the best and worst offers Erik had ever had. Over the years, he had rarely shifted into his wolf form. Before they died, his parents had never really taught him how to control himself while in his other form, so he had always been afraid to shape change. In fact, the only times he had gone into wolf form was when he was furious and wanted to run off his anger. Jacob's offer provided the perfect opportunity to practice shape-changing at will, and learning to control his emotions.

Yawning, Erik stretched his arms and looked out the window. It was getting dark, so perhaps he would try his shape change tonight. He was feeling a bit antsy and wanted to stretch his legs a bit. A storm was coming in, and no one would miss him if he was away, so why not?

* * *

AN: _Lots_ of info in this chapter, so I'm sorry if it seems boring. Things will get more fun in the upcoming chapters, I promise. Thanks so much for reading, and please review!


	3. Meetings

Disclaimer: I don't own anything _**Phantom of the Opera**_ or _**Twilight**_ (though I wish I did). Only original characters belong to me.

AN: At last, they meet! Also, I have no idea if Forks actually has an annual event for their public servants, so let's just say they do, for the sake of the story. Thanks so much for reading, and please review!

**Chapter 3: Meetings:**

Fitting into a whole new town is usually a hassle, especially when you don't know anyone but your boss and, if you're lucky, whoever he hangs out with.

Luckily, my boss was the chief-of-police, and everyone he hung out tended to be well-known and at least partially influential in the Forks community. They were also well-liked, which also made things easier on me, since I was the newbie in town. Whomever they liked, others liked, and since Charlie, Doctor Cullen, Billy Black, and Sue Clearwater were pillars of the community, I was absorbed without many problems.

I also took to the town faster than I thought I would. Even though it was small, and (from what I'd heard) rather cold and damp most of the year, I was an Oregonian and used to rain, so it didn't bother me much. And because they were so welcoming, the town's people grew on me, too. I didn't even mind the strangeness of the Cullen family.

Not that there was anything _wrong_ with them, of course –it was just kind of weird that most of the adopted Cullen kids were paired off together as couples. Apparently Doctor and Mrs. Cullen had adopted five children, and from what Charlie had told me, four of them had paired off together: Alice with Jasper, and Rosalie with Emmett. Edward had been the odd-man-out, but he'd met and married Isabella Swan, so I guess it all worked out in the end.

Okay, I admit that I thought it kind of strange that all the adopted Cullen kids ended up together, but at least they weren't actually related, so I did my best to shrug it off. When I'd first come to Forks, I'd heard about the Cullen family before meeting them, and had held my judgment back before meeting them. I was glad I did.

My first meeting with a member of Doctor Cullen's family had been a month after my arrival, when Charlie, Sue, and the Doctor had invited me to go see a movie with them, with Doctor Cullen bringing his wife. I'd been uncomfortable with the thought of being the "fifth wheel," but Doctor Cullen's wife, Esme, had quickly squashed that feeling. She was a very caring, motherly woman, and sort of took me under her wing.

"It's hard moving to a new place," she'd said after being introduced. "If you ever need company, don't hesitate to call us. I'm sure my kids would love to spend time with you. I know Edward and Bella speak highly of you."

And that was how I was pushed together with the Cullen family.

For the most part, they were all really nice people. Jasper was the tall, strong, quiet type, but his girlfriend, Alice, was just the opposite –she was petite, sweet and quirky, and she and I got along perfectly from the start. Sometimes, she asked me to join her for a late-night Saturday movie at the theater, for walks through the woods, or to concerts in the park. I always had fun with Alice. Occasionally, Jasper joined us, but he tended to let me and Alice have a "girls' night out" together.

Rosalie, on the other hand, tended to act a bit snobby, but I guess that was just part of her personality. It probably didn't help that she was also tall, blonde and gorgeous, so maybe she felt she was better than everyone else around her. She wasn't hostile, exactly, just a bit stuck up.

However, Rosalie's boyfriend, Emmett, was funny and loved to joke around and tease me about all kinds of stuff. He would do his best to make me laugh, and I'd returned the favor by teasingly referring to him as a 'jock,' and a jerk, which he found funny. The only times he ticked me off was when he playfully messed up my hair, and he only did that once before Bella cuffed him upside the head and told him to 'play nice.'

Bella and Edward, of course, were great. They always made sure Rosalie didn't treat me too badly, and that Emmett kept putting his foot in his mouth. It was fun watching Bella take him down a peg when he got too obnoxious.

There was, however, one Cullen child I puzzled over: Renesmee. She was the youngest Cullen child, the most recent addition, and she had a very strong resemblance to Edward and Bella. I sort of suspected that Nessie, as they called her, was Edward and Bella's child, but that was impossible; Bella would have had to be ten-years-old to give birth to Nessie, which was crazy.

After a lot of thought, though, I decided not to push the matter. After all, I had some good friendships going with the Cullen family, and didn't want to jeopardize it for the world. Everything was going so well, the last thing I wanted was for something to come and spoil it all.

And as it turns out, it was a good thing I kept my mouth shut. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to face them at the annual fundraiser for the police and fire departments. It was an event that would ultimately rock my world.

* * *

Shifting uneasily, Erik wanted to hide behind something. This, of course, would be impossible, given that he was over six feet tall, and stood a bit above everyone else here.

"Here" was the Annual Forks Police and Fire Department Fundraiser. It was an outdoor event, held in a large meadow just outside the town, and everyone was here, gathered under a grey, cloudy sky. The Quileute had come as well, since the police chief was friends with most of them, and as a tribe, they decided to come for the festivities. Unfortunately, they had also decided to forcibly drag Erik from the safe confines of his house and bring him to the event. Billy and Jacob had been a key factor in driving him here in their truck.

Given a choice, Erik would have happily become a recluse in his new home, but Billy and Jacob weren't having it. Jacob insisted that Erik needed to "get out and make some friends," and that he shouldn't worry about people judging him just because he wore a mask.

"We can all guess that something bad must have happened, like a car accident, which causes you to wear that mask," Billy said as they headed for the festivities. "We won't pry, but you seem like a decent person. If you look confident and act like you belong in a crowd, no one will think the worse of you."

That was easy for him to say, considering Billy was already a respected member of the community. Jacob, of course, agreed with his father, but Erik had his doubts. However, by then it was too late to do anything, so he figured he might as well try and enjoy himself a little.

Looking around, Erik spotted Chief Swan speaking with a tall, pale man with blonde hair. Erik recognized him, but couldn't suppress a shudder from going down his back. '_Doctor_ _Carlisle Cullen_,' he thought with a wince.

Never had he considered the idea of meeting real vampires. Of all people, Jacob had been the one to introduce him to the Cullen family, and all of its members. He'd already known that the Cullen clan and the Quileute werewolves had been at the center of the battle Nadir had told him of, but to actually meet them was not what he expected.

Presently, the Cullens and Quileute tribe had settled their differences, but uneasiness still lingered, since old grudges are hard to forget. They were trying their best to work on it, though. How strange that it was Jacob Black who was trying the hardest to create a true friendship and link between the two peoples?

The day he brought Erik to the Cullen home Jacob, who had become Erik's official teacher in all things werewolf, had tried to explain his efforts. They had run there in wolf form, and changed back just outside the house, where the vampire clan had gathered to meet them. Erik had been introduced to the whole group, then declared a third and relatively neutral party.

"He might be a werewolf, but he's from outside the conflict between us," Jacob had told everyone. "He's welcome on our reservation, and Charlie Swan seems to like him, so it makes sense that you all try to at least be on good terms with him. I mean, since Dr. Cullen and Chief Swan are friends."

Erik tried to be on good terms with the Cullens, but for some reason, he couldn't be comfortable around them. It seemed that the canine side of him became uneasy around vampires, just like the Quileute werewolves did.

"I guess it's not just a Quileute thing. All werewolves must not like vampires," Jacob had said as they left the Cullens.

From what Billy and Jacob had told him, it seemed that vampires and werewolves were polar opposites, like north and south. Vampires were cold, undead, and thirsted for life. On the other side, werewolves were actually alive, they were hot-blooded, and very protective of humans, who happened to be the main diet of vampires. Thus, the two races seemed destined to be eternal archenemies.

Luckily, that was changing, and all because of Renesmee Cullen. He had seen the way Jacob looked at the young girl, and knew that they were connected. Apparently Renesmee was meant to become Jake's mate, and that certainly explained why both sides were trying to reconcile and stay on each other's good side.

'_Too bad that doesn't make things much easier for me in the here-and-now_,' Erik thought with a sigh.

Here at this gathering, he was stuck being uncomfortable with not only the presence of the Cullens, but also with the large crowd. Large crowds were not something he liked, and if he could, he would change shape and run off into the forest.

Erik bit back a wistful sigh. Oh, how he loved running through the forest around Forks! Lush green foliage, cool breezes, and the lingering scent of the ocean in the air; it all came together, and made for an ideal place to run and stretch his legs, whether he had two or four of them. His parents had never let him run free in any form, human or wolf, so such a thing was a pure freedom and delight for him.

"Well, there you are!" said a cheerful and familiar voice. "I've been looking all over for you."

Turning, Erik saw Billy roll up to him. Smiling, he reached out to shake his friend's hand. "Since I'm taller than most people here, I'm rather hard to miss," Erik jokingly replied.

Billy smacked him in the arm. "Considering where I'm sitting, I'm at a disadvantage in the height department."

They both laughed and began a casual talk about the weather. Billy tried to steer the chat towards sports, but Erik wasn't interested, so he directed the topic towards the fundraiser itself.

"Do they raise much money with this?" he asked, taking a plastic cup of sparkling cider from a passing server. "The town is small, and I doubt that many people can afford to give much."

"Well, you're right about that," Billy said, sipping his beer. "Most people don't make a lot of money, but for the police and fire department, they're always willing."

He eyed Erik very closely. "Speaking of which, I heard that someone donated a seven-figured check and asked that it be split between the police and fire departments. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Erik tried to cover his embarrassment by taking a drink from his cup. Billy, however, wasn't fooled, and gave him a playful punch in the arm.

"I knew it," he crowed. "And you do realize that the tribe knows, too, right, given that you're the only millionaire in town?"

And what the tribe knew, most of the town knew as well. Swallowing his gulp of cider, Erik peeked out the corner of his eye, and caught more than a few people sneaking peeks at him.

Billy grinned. "Yup, you're the talk of the town. No doubt Charlie will want to thank you by inviting you over to watch football or baseball one of these days."

"I'd rather not," Erik muttered, finishing his drink. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll-"

"Nope, don't even think about it," said a female voice as a hand grabbed his arm. It was Sue Clearwater. "Believe me, you deserve the thanks that everyone has to offer you."

"I don't want thanks," Erik protested as Sue swiped his empty cup from him and pressed a loaded paper plate into it. "I just wanted to do something for those in law enforcement and public service. They deserve it."

"Well, it's nice that someone thinks so." A hand clapped him on the shoulder. "Thanks for the donation, buddy. We can really use it."

"You are welcome, Charlie," Erik replied, embarrassed at the attention. "But I'm sure you'd have done well, even without my help."

Charlie shook his head. "No, not really. We really need a couple new police cars, and there are a few critical pieces of equipment that are _way_ out of our budget. You've given us the chance to make Forks a bit safer."

Erik opened his mouth to protest, but stopped. There was something in the air that stirred his senses, something that pulled at his consciousness like the North Pole pulled at the needle of a compass. Erik tried to focus on that sensation, his mind tracking it as though he were on a hunt.

"Ellie!" Sue exclaimed, momentarily drawing Erik's attention. "I've been looking all over for you. Where have you been?"

Turning, Erik froze. He saw a friendly smile on a set of pretty rosebud lips, chocolate-brown eyes that were welcoming, and brown hair tinted with natural red tossing about in the cool breezes of the afternoon. Her cheeks were full and rosy, and she was small, standing up to his chest, but she was the sweetest sight he had ever seen.

As his eyes took her in, Erik's heart swelled, and something inside him snapped. For a moment, he couldn't understand what was going on, or why he felt as though the most important thing in the world had just happened to him.

"Elicia, great, you're here," Charlie's voice echoed in Erik's ear. "This is Erik Garnier. He's just moved here from France, of all places. Erik, this is Elicia Fox."

"Ellie for short," she replied with a smile, holding her hand out to shake. "It's nice to meet you."

Erik nearly choked on his tongue as he tried to think of something to say. After a few quick swallows, he silently reached out to take her hand. When their fingers met, a shock went through his arm, his hand tightening around hers for only a second before releasing her. Ellie looked a bit startled at the gesture, but said nothing as she took her hand back. Erik remained stoically silent.

"Sorry, he's a bit shy." Sue's voice echoed around him as though they were in a cave. "He hasn't met a lot of people from the town; just most of the tribe since he's been here."

Ellie chuckled. "Well, I guess that makes us both newcomers."

"Pfft, you're not a newcomer," Charlie said in disbelief. "You've been here almost a year."

"Eight months," Ellie corrected with a grin. "But who's counting?"

"Well, no matter how long you've been here, you're part of the town now," Billy replied with a smile. "Both of you."

Erik could only stand there dumbly while Ellie smiled at him.

* * *

In meeting the Cullen family, I felt that I'd pretty much seen some of the most gorgeous men ever. Emmett, Edward, Jasper, and even Dr. Cullen himself were all extremely good-looking, even with their pale skin. And after spending a lot time with them and being overly-exposed to so much male beauty, I thought I was pretty much immune to it.

Erik Garnier completely destroyed that belief for me.

Tall, dark, handsome, with swarthy olive skin and the greenest eyes I'd ever seen, he was a sight any woman would drool over, even with the mask on the right side of his face. It didn't matter if he was scarred, deformed, or whatever; the 'normal' side clearly indicated some very attractive features that bordered between handsome and beautiful.

His physique wasn't bad, either. I could see some serious muscle underneath the plain green shirt he wore, and under the black jeans was a pair of long legs that made him stand a head above everyone around him.

'_My gosh, he's gorgeous_. _And the French accent is just to die for_.'

So why was he staring at _me_? I mean, I'm no piece of beauty, not the way he was. Okay, I wasn't _ugly_, but next to Mr. Garnier and the Cullens, I was on the plain side of the beauty spectrum.

'_Then again, __**everyone**__ looks plain next to the Cullens, especially next to Rosalie_.'

But that still didn't explain why he was staring at me like that.

"Come on, Ellie," Charlie said, tugging at my sleeve. "I think Alice Cullen wants to see you, and Bella hasn't had a chance to hang out with you yet."

I turned to see Alice and Bella waving me over. "Sure, no problem." I turned back towards Billy and Sue. "I'll see you two on Saturday, right? For the big game?"

Sue gave me a relieved smile. "Thank goodness. I'll be glad for the company."

"No problem," I replied. "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Garnier."

"Erik," he said, still staring. "Please, call me Erik."

"Okay, Erik. It was nice meeting you." I gave them a wave goodbye and headed for Alice.

But even as I walked away, I could still feel the eyes of Erik Garnier lingering on me, and didn't know if I should be flattered or frightened.

* * *

Erik decided that he _really_ liked the way Elicia Fox walked. She had a very nice figure that swayed in all the right places when she moved, and he liked the sight it presented. It was almost hypnotizing.

Something smacked him in the arm. Startled, Erik looked for who hit him. It was Billy Black, sitting in his wheelchair with a scolding look on his slightly wrinkled face.

"Don't stare," he lectured, "It's rude."

"Sorry," Erik muttered, his gaze turning back towards his future mate.

Oh, yes, he knew that's what she was. Even though he'd never experienced such a feeling before, and though his father had never explained it to him, Erik's wolf instincts knew what had just happened: he had found his soulmate.

'_What had Jacob called it_? _Oh, yes, "imprinting."_'

Part of him demanded that he sweep her up and take her away right then, to hell with what others thought. The rational part of his brain, however, reminded him that the Cullens were around, and they might not take kindly to him kidnapping their friend.

'_How frustrating_,' he thought, frustrated. '_Jacob was right: vampires could be rather annoying, even when they don't mean to be_.'

But maybe there was another way for him to get what he wanted.

"Billy, what can you tell me about Elicia Fox?" he asked his friend.

Billy looked at him in surprise, then smirked. "Oh, that's how it is, huh? Well, I think the person you'd better ask is Sue. Women tell each other everything, so in this case, she's the one you aught to talk to."

Unfortunately, while Erik had been ogling after Ellie, Sue had disappeared. Damn it.

"Maybe another time," he grumbled.

Right now, though, Erik desperately needed a good strong drink.

* * *

AN: The chase begins! Thanks for reading, and please review!


	4. First Night Out

Disclaimer: I don't own anything _**Phantom of the Opera**_ or _**Twilight**_ (though I wish I did). Only original characters belong to me.

AN: I'm totally unfamiliar with the area around Forks and Port Angeles, so I'm going off of maps and stuff that I've found on the Web. Of course, this is fiction, but I'm doing the best I can with the tools I have, so I hope that people will forgive any inaccuracies in this story. Thanks. Other than that, please enjoy yourselves, and review.

**Chapter 4: First Night Out:**

Rubbing the back of his neck, Erik tried to figure out what he was going to do about Elicia. The woman was clearly meant to be his mate, but there was one _tiny_ problem.

'_I have no idea how to approach her_.'

Growing up isolated in the French countryside, Erik's experience with women was nonexistent. How did one go about winning a girl over? He'd read Shakespeare, watched operas on television back in France, and had lately spent hours 'surfing the Internet,' trying to gather ideas and his courage, but that was pretty much it. Everything pointed towards offering flowers, jewelry, mementos of many kinds, and evenings out on dates.

That was all very helpful, but when it came to making the first approach, he had no idea which steps to take. Reading a 'how-to' guide only did so much –actually _doing_ it was something else altogether.

And so, after Erik managed to scrounge up some backbone, he wondered how he was going to make his move. Should he be smooth and collected, or let his nervousness show and hope that she found his embarrassment endearing? Should he bring a bouquet of flowers to win her over? He could just show up on her doorstep and ask, but would that be too straightforward?

Groaning, Erik collapsed into a chair and buried his face in his hands. '_Why does this have to be so complicated_?'

For two weeks, he'd tried to get his mind off of this whole thing by focusing on his artwork. Unfortunately, his subconscious thoughts were channeled into whatever it was he tried working on –three paintings had Ellie's face in them, either in detail or in vague ways, and the sculpture he'd tried making out of stone held the outlines of her face and form. It was driving him crazy.

Billy and Sue were of no help, either. Sue refused to answer any of Erik's questions about Ellie, and what Sue wouldn't give up, Billy wouldn't, either. Jacob tried to give a little advice, but he had his own problems to deal with (namely Renesmee Cullen and her family).

Perhaps it was time for Erik to face his problem directly. Going to Ellie's house and asking her out was probably his only option, because at this rate, his house might be covered in her image if he didn't do something, fast.

And yet, a part of him quivered in fear at the idea of facing this dilemma. What if she rejected him? He honestly didn't know if he could handle being turned down by his true love, not after being alone for so long. He couldn't bear the idea of being shut up in his house without Ellie, all the while knowing that she was out there in the world and not with him.

'_But nothing will happen at all if I don't try_.'

Taking a deep breath, Erik pulled himself together and got up from his chair. It was time to act, and sitting at home was getting him nowhere.

Dressing well, but casually, he headed out to his car. There was a quick stop he had to make before he went to Ellie's house, but after that, he prayed that this venture would be a success.

* * *

'_Crap, I hate being late_,' I mentally complained while frantically brushing my teeth. '_I really need to get a new alarm clock_.'

And it would figure that just as I was in the midst of cleaning my teeth, there was a knock on my front door.

"Crap," I muttered through a mouthful of foam.

Hurriedly spitting, rinsing, and spitting again, I wiped my mouth on a towel and raced to open the door before my visitor left. When I saw who was standing there, my jaw dropped.

"Erik!" I exclaimed, surprised out of my wits. "What are _you_ doing here?"

He looked just as surprised as me. "I'm sorry," he apologized, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. "I didn't think you'd be home. I was going to leave these on your doorstep…"

I spotted the handful of wildflowers as he trailed off, and felt my cheeks flush. "Oh, um, thank you," I stuttered, accepting the blossoms from him. "They're lovely."

And they were. Soft pinks, pale blues, and dark violets all came together beautifully, almost like a floral arrangement. Tied around them was a wide green ribbon trimmed with thin gold braid. It was clearly something he had put a lot of effort into making.

Erik cleared his throat and raised a hand to nervously rub the white mask on the right side of his face. "Mademoiselle, if you wouldn't mind my asking," he said, green eyes slowly coming up to meet mine, "Would you like to have dinner with me this Saturday?"

Was it possible to swallow your tongue, have butterflies tickle your throat, _and_ have your stomach sink to the ground, all at the same time? Because that's what it felt like to me, and I had the sudden urge to panic right in my doorway.

"Uh…" was all I could manage to say.

For a few minutes, there was awkward silence as we both stood there, staring at one another. It was the sound of a passing car honking that snapped us back to reality.

Remembering that he'd asked me a question, I figured that he probably wanted a reply. "Um, okay," I managed to squeak out.

It was the best answer I could have given. Erik's face seemed to light up with pleasure and excitement, and those marvelous green eyes of his shone as he took my free hand and pressed a kiss to it, causing me to blush even redder.

"I will pick you up tomorrow night at six o'clock?" he asked, smiling.

"Okay," I breathed, trying to ignore the smoldering look he was giving me. "See you then."

"Mademoiselle," he replied with a slight bow.

I stood there staring long after he'd pulled away in his car. In two days' time, I was going out on a date with the richest man the town had ever seen.

"Oh, my god, what am I going to _wear_?" I gasped, right before I remembered that I was still very late for work.

* * *

Sneaking into a police station is never a good idea, no matter who you are. And, of course, since I was an assistant to the chief-of-police, it was an even worse idea, particularly when everyone knew who I was. So, in my case, trying to slip to my desk without attention was doomed to be an epic failure.

"You're late," Charlie said, without even looking up from his desk.

"I know," I replied, dropping my bags into an empty desk drawer. "My alarm clock decided to die on me. I'm getting a new one tonight, I promise."

"Don't let him get to you, Ellie," whispered Shelly, one of the female officers. "He's just mad because you weren't here to get him his usual cup of coffee."

"I heard that!" Charlie said, hiding a smile. "It'd okay, Ellie, no harm done. If you manage to catch up on the filing before your lunch break, I'll somehow manage to forgive you."

I barely managed to finish in time for lunch, and was kept busy the rest of the afternoon. As I worked, however, thoughts of Erik Garnier floated through my head. I couldn't understand why he was interested in me of all people. There were tons of women in Forks that he could ask out, so why choose me?

Somehow, I managed to drift my way through work and make it out of the office without much of a lecture from Charlie. Since it had been the first time I'd been late, he let me off easy –well, except for a harsh reminder to get a new alarm clock. A quick pit-stop at the drugstore fixed that problem, but when I got home, I was still left completely hopeless when it came to my other situation: Erik Garnier.

'_If I go to pieces when the guy asks me out, what'll happen on the actual date_?' I wondered, my stomach a knot full of worry.

"Time for some female advice," I muttered, reaching for the phone.

* * *

"This isn't a good idea," Alice said, collapsing on the couch.

Bella rolled her eyes and hung up the cordless handset. "Well, what was I supposed to tell her? That the man who asked her out is a werewolf and that she shouldn't go out with him? I don't think that would go over very well, especially since our family's secret might come out, along with the wolf packs'."

Alice shook her head. "I still don't like it. We may have an uneasy peace with the Wolves, but we shouldn't drag poor Ellie into this, especially when we know next to nothing about Mr. Garnier."

Her sister-in-law sighed. "I'm thinking that we don't have a choice. I saw the way he looked at Ellie at the fundraiser; it's the same one Jacob had when he first saw Nessie. Erik and Ellie are meant to be together, and if I can help them, I'm going to."

There was nothing Alice could say to that. "Okay, but you really should have told her to wear the red dress instead of the blue one. The red one would have knocked him off his feet."

Bella practically dove for the phone, cursing as Alice burst into giggles.

* * *

Clutching my handbag, I tried not to squirm as I went to open the door. I'd done exactly as Bella had instructed: I was in my best dress, a simple thing of deep maroon material that hung to my knees. My hair had been crimped into waves, keeping things mellow, but still dressy enough to be taken anywhere expensive.

Now was the moment of truth: Erik was here, and I could see if he approved of my outfit or not.

Opening the door, I immediately knew Bella had made the right call –Erik's green eyes widened, and the floored look on his face said it all.

"You look stunning," he said, handing me a red rose.

I smiled and accepted it. "Thank you. So do you."

And he did. Dressed in a black suit and crisp white shirt, both of which went perfectly with his half-mask, he was a drool-worthy sight. I could have stood there all night, looking at him, but we had a date to get to. Mentally crossing my fingers for luck, I smiled at him.

"So, where are we going?" I asked. "I haven't been out that much since I got here, so I'm not familiar with the area."

He smiled back and motioned for me to follow him. I hastily locked my door and took the arm he offered, flattered by the courteous gesture. But what impressed me even more was the solid feel of that arm, my fingers resting gently on firmly-built muscle that rippled as he moved. Unbidden, my mind began imagining what the rest of him looked like, if his arm was this toned. The warmth of his body radiating through the fabric of his sleeves didn't help; it only made my imagination go into overdrive.

When we got to his car, I breathed in sharply. It was a BMW, one of the more expensive models, and fully-loaded with all the tech stuff a person could need or want in it. Well, considering what I'd heard about the money behind him, it was no wonder Erik had a car like this.

But rich as he might be, Erik was both chivalrous and sweet. He held the car door open for me, and helped me inside before getting into the driver's seat. He even adjusted the radio so that it played my favorite station. Soon, we were on the road, and before I knew it, we were out of Forks all together.

"Where are we going?" I asked, looking out the window.

"Port Angeles," he replied. "There is a French restaurant I would like to take you to."

I looked over at him. "But don't you get enough of that at home? I mean, you are French, after all, and I'm sure you cook your meals yourself."

With his masked side facing me, I couldn't tell if he was blushing, but he was clearly embarrassed by my question. "Unfortunately, I am severely lacking in culinary skills. In France, my mother was the cook, and when she died, it was my friend who became the chief in the house. Here in Forks, the women of the Quileute tribe have kindly been making my meals for me, or I have been, as Americans say, 'ordering in,' as I do not like going out to eat in public."

"Oh," I said, unable to think of anything else. If he didn't like eating out in public, going on a date must be a huge step for him.

There was a bit of awkward silence, which was a bad thing considering that the ride from Forks to Port Angeles was over an hour long. Frantically searching my brain, I tried to think of a good conversation starter, and decided to moderately change the subject. "So if cooking isn't one of your skills, what talents do you have, then?"

Erik was quiet for a moment before he answered. "I like to think of myself as an artist," he whispered modestly.

I perked up. "Art? Really? What kind of art? Do you paint, sculpt, or draw?"

"A little of each," he replied, warming towards the subject. "But my passion lies towards music. A friend of mine in France is shipping my prized piano here, and once it arrives, I can once again compose my music."

"You compose music?" I asked, impressed. "That's incredible."

The rest of the ride to Port Angeles was filled with talk about Erik's "hobbies." He told me about the different art pieces he was working on, and promised to show them to me as soon as they were finished. Since I'd never been to an artist's studio before, I was thrilled at the prospect of visiting one. Erik, in turn, seemed just as eager for my visit, and talked excitedly about future project ideas.

When we reached our destination, Erik helped me out of the car and led me inside. We were seated promptly, and I couldn't help but be a bit nervous as I accepted a menu from the server. French food was a new experience for me, and I silently wondered if they'd have anything I liked.

To my relief, the menu was in French and English, so I was able to read my way through it without trouble. Best of all, I found several dishes that sounded appetizing, and barely managed to narrow it down to one by the time our server returned. That was when Erik surprised me by ordering French champagne for us, and I was able to amuse him by jumping in my seat when the cork was popped.

"Now it is your turn to talk about yourself," Erik remarked as he sipped his drink. "Come, _ma cheri_, tell me your hobbies and what you enjoy most in the world."

Delicious little shivers went up my spine as he spoke to me in French. It was only a couple words, but the way he said them made them utterly enthralling. His voice had been nice before –smooth, deep, and slightly musical, his accent adding a touch of the exotic to it. Now it was almost hypnotic, somehow pulling me into it effortlessly.

Very nearly against my will, I found myself mindlessly babbling out my favorite genre of books, music, and a list of my favorite movies. It was probably all very dull, but Erik seemed to find it fascinating. Sometimes, I thought I could see him taking mental notes as I chattered out nonsense to him.

After a while, I finally managed to calm down and turn the conversation towards a different topic.

"Do you sing?" I asked as dinner was served. "You certainly have the voice for it."

Erik gave me a surprised and thoughtful look. "I had never considered it," he admitted, cutting into his beef filet. "But now that you have brought it to light, I might do so."

Then he smiled. "But I would like to know more about _you_, Elicia."

I'd already told him a lot about myself; what else could he want to know? How much more could I tell him without sounding boring as hell? I bit back a sigh. '_I guess I might as well be honest and get it all out there now instead of later_.'

"Well, there's not much else to tell," I said, picking at my serving of sea scallops. "I'm an indoor type of person. I'd rather be curled up by a fire with a good book than anything else. I like going to and watching movies, listening to the radio, and occasionally went out to the theater for performances back in Oregon."

His green eyes lit up with interest. "You enjoy the theater?"

I nodded. "I mostly prefer musicals and ballets, but I've always wanted to attend an opera. Haven't gotten around to that yet, since I probably wouldn't understand what they're singing about, but I'd still love to go to one."

"I might be able to help with that," Erik replied between bites. "Perhaps you'd like to take a weekend visit to Seattle? We could attend an opera there, and perhaps an orchestra performance or a tour of the museum?"

Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "I'd love to!"

Oh, jeez, what was I _thinking_? I barely knew this man, so why had I agreed to take a weekend trip with him? A part of my brain began mentally kicking me, telling me I was being stupid for moving so fast. He could be a murderer or something equally horrible, and I'd already agreed to spend several days alone with him.

So why didn't I feel bad or guilty about it? Even as my head was lecturing me, my heart was practically applauding my efforts, and it was strongly telling me to trust this man, even if he was a bit of a stranger to me.

"Of course, I don't mean to whisk you away to Seattle anytime soon," Erik was saying with a smile, his voice bringing me back to earth. "I don't think many, including Chief Swan, would approve of my being so bold with you."

I laughed. "No, he wouldn't. And I agree with you: we shouldn't go on a trip like that so soon. I wouldn't mind in a few months or so, but not for a second date."

He nodded his agreement. "But in the meantime, would you like go to a movie next weekend? There are several playing at the theater, and we are sure to find one we are both interested in."

My insides quivering with disappointment and relief, I smiled. "I'd like that very much."

* * *

Holding a back a sigh of relief, Erik took a bite of his dinner and tried not to stare at the woman he already considered his mate. She had agreed to a future trip with him! This night honestly could not get any better.

At first, he had been reluctant to go out to such a public place, as he was sure that he'd be made a spectacle of by others. To his surprise, other than a few questioning glances and the occasional stare or double-take, most people hadn't seemed to care about his masked face. His heart felt much lighter for it.

But now he had plans to make regarding his future with Ellie. Dating was still new to him, but if he played things correctly, she would be his before too many months had passed. After all, they were soulmates; their hearts were bound to call to one another, making it easier for him to win her love and her trust.

Taking a sip of champagne, Erik smiled, eager to begin the chase.

* * *

AN: More Erik and Ellie romance in the next chapter, and some other things to spice things up! Thanks so much for reading, and please review!


	5. Dating

Disclaimer: I don't own anything _**Phantom of the Opera **_or_** Twilight**_ (though I wish I did). Only original characters belong to me.

AN: Not much to say in this author's note, other than I hope you all enjoy yourselves. Thanks for reading, and please review!

**Chapter 5: Dating:**

"Nice flowers," said a familiar voice beside me.

I jerked in my chair, my cheeks turning red as I blushed in embarrassment. "Thanks."

Charlie had caught me staring dreamily at the breathtaking bouquet sitting on my desk. It's never a good thing when your boss catches you daydreaming at your desk, but I couldn't help myself –the dizzying array of colors and the smell of the blossoms were meant to draw the eye. Every once and a while, my gaze drifted to stare at the rainbow colors of the roses, and a small sigh would escape my lips. I was the image of a love-struck girl, and I knew it.

And obviously, everyone around me knew it, too. The guys in the police department rolled their eyes every time I cast a glance at my flowers, and the women threw knowing looks and smiles at me and each other whenever they passed me by.

Charlie noticed my blush and smiled. "Another week, another round of flowers, huh? Apparently your boyfriend likes spoiling you."

I blushed even harder. Erik wasn't exactly my boyfriend, but he was slowly getting there. We'd been dating for nearly two months now, and the man never ceased to amaze me with his courtesy, his manners, and his sweetness. He was also an amazing kisser.

Whenever we went out to dinner, to a movie, or even on nights spent "in" at one of our homes, he always treated me well. There was just something about him that drew me in, and I couldn't tell if it was the mysterious air he gave off, the seductiveness of his voice, or the strange way he made my skin tingle when his fingers brushed up against my arm. Whatever "it" was, Erik Garnier was definitely that.

He also had to be the most romantic guy in the world. After we'd been dating for a few weeks, I started receiving flowers everywhere. There were flowers at my desk at work every Monday, and on Friday nights, I'd get a bouquet whenever Erik came to pick me up for our date. Sometimes, I'd even come home from work and find wildflowers scattered on my front step.

Normally, I'd be a little freaked out at the amount of attention and flowers a guy was giving me. However, I really liked being with Erik, and the flowers were never overly done. For instance, if he sent me roses, the blossoms weren't always red, like one would expect –instead, the petals ranged from vibrant rainbows to pale pastels, or a mixture of both. Sometimes he doesn't even send roses, but a mixture of flowers. Variety was always good.

"Okay, stop grinning like an idiot," Charlie said, nudging my shoulder. "I need you to finish filing those reports for me before you leave, so get cracking."

Sighing, I gathered a stack of folders and headed for the filing cabinet.

* * *

When I got home, a wonderful surprise was waiting for me. It was Erik, standing in front of my door with a charming bouquet in his hands.

"Hi!" I quipped as I pressed a kiss to his cheek. "What are you doing here? It's Wednesday."

We usually saw one another during the weekends, when I was free from work and Erik wanted a break from his art. The only times he stopped by was to leave flowers on my doorstep.

Erik shrugged and smiled as he put an arm around my waist. "I'm afraid I am running late today," he said apologetically. "I was working on a piece and lost track of time. I had hoped to leave these for you before you got home."

I accepted the flowers with a smile. "Well, they're beautiful. Thank you."

He grinned as I reached for my keys. "And since I am here, would it be terrible of me to ask you to dinner tonight? Perhaps…Italian?"

The man knew one of my weaknesses: Italian food. Normally, I stayed home on work nights, but when Italian food was being offered to me, I couldn't say 'no.' Besides, Erik had been studying Italian lately, and I liked hearing him read items off the menu in the language.

"That sounds wonderful," I said, taking the arm he offered. "Let's go."

* * *

Italian was Ellie's favorite, and the perfect way to get her to dine out with him. True, they had been going out for two months now, but lately, being with her on just the weekends did not satisfy him anymore. He was craving her company more and more often, and now, after just three days without seeing her or hearing her voice, Erik decided to push things a little further.

Their 'relationship' had started out slowly because Erik feared what would happen if he acted too quickly. If it were up to him, they'd have married last month, but as it was, he had started slowly and moved carefully.

First, it had been a dinner or movie on Saturdays, which went on for three weeks. Then he asked her to dinner _and_ a movie on one Saturday, before proposing a leisurely day at his house the next day. Ellie had been uneasy at the idea of visiting his home so soon, but when he offered to show her his art, she warmed towards the idea.

He smiled at the memory. Ellie had been so impressed with his hard work, it had warmed his heart and, he had to admit, inflated his ego quite a bit. His parents had been free with their praise of him, but parents were parents, and they always thought their child's work was wonderful.

To hear Ellie's admiration was a different story. Her words filled him with pride, and as he explained certain sculptures, pieces of music, or paintings to her, Ellie listened carefully and asked questions, showing genuine interest instead of mere politeness. She even asked to hear some of his music, and was astounded to learn that he could compose songs in German and Spanish, as well as English and French.

"I enjoy the classical artists, and try to honor them by composing in their languages," he explained. "Learning those languages was not very difficult to me, once I had studied certain operas. Besides, studying languages proved to be one of the few true challenges for me."

They had gone out to an Italian restaurant that evening, and it was then that Ellie suggested that he learn Italian. Wanting to impress her, Erik promised to do so, though he was secretly hiding the fact that he already knew it. It was wrong, he knew, but pretending to 'learn' Italian and delighting Ellie with his supposed "progress" made it easier to romance her, so he kept it up.

After that, it was easier to get Ellie to spend more time with him. He began sending her flowers, and stretching their dates into Friday nights. So far, things were moving along very well.

But it wasn't enough. Erik wanted to spend more than just a few afternoons and evenings with her. His heart and soul cried out for him to claim her now, but his common sense told him to move slowly, or else he would frighten her. It was time for a compromise, and tonight he would make his move.

* * *

He waited until after dinner before acting on his plan. Erik had long since learned that once Ellie was full and content, she was more likely to agree to whatever it he suggested.

'_Of course, a little touch of hypnosis helps, too_,' he thought with an inward smirk. It was a trick Nadir had taught him, and often came in handy.

"Ellie," Erik said, reaching to brush her fingers with his. "I was wondering if I could ask you something."

She looked at him with those sweet brown eyes and smiled. "Sure. What is it?"

He instantly felt his heart beat faster, like he always did whenever she smiled at him. Shaking off the thrill he felt at seeing her happy, Erik swallowed hard and gathered his courage.

"I was wondering if you would…like to join me for a weekend trip to Seattle?" he asked, watching her face carefully.

If he hadn't been so desperate for her answer, Erik would have been amused at the array of expressions that crossed Ellie's face. There was surprise, joy, excitement, nervousness, and just a touch of fear, all dancing across her features while Erik waited anxiously for her answer.

It took her a moment to gather her thoughts, but her reply made his heart stop.

"Okay."

* * *

I have no idea what came over me. One minute, I'm stuffed full of my favorite pasta dish and feeling very happy, then _bang_, Erik asks me on a weekend vacation.

Instantly, my insides went wonky, and a flood of emotions knocked my heart around, like players with a soccer ball during the World Cup. My head screamed for me to say 'no,' but something else inside me had other plans.

"Okay," I blurted out, although '_Crap, what am I doing_,' popped into my head a second later.

But any doubts I had vanished when Erik's face lit up –he looked so thrilled that I didn't have the heart to take it back. Besides, I really did want to spend more time with him, so why not?

'_Because you don't know much about the guy_?' retorted a part of my brain.

That was ridiculous, of course. After two months, I knew that Erik was a good man, and that he would do his best to never hurt me. Besides, the Quileute liked and trusted him, and they were excellent judges of character.

"So, which weekend do you think would work best?" I asked, reaching for my glass of water.

* * *

Two weeks later, I was tucked comfortably in Erik's very expensive vehicle, with a duffle bag full of stuff tossed in the trunk. Inside the bag were some casual clothes, some eveningwear, a couple pairs of comfortable (but still stylish) shoes, and a makeup bag with every facial necessity a girl could need. I'd even packed a bottle of my favorite peppermint body wash, just in case I didn't like the shower gel at the hotel we'd be staying at.

Okay, it was a bit much for a weekend trip, but I tended to over-prepare myself for everything. And since we would be there Friday night through Sunday, I decided to bring a few extra things, just in case. Besides, this was going to be my very first weekend spent with a guy, and I wanted to be ready for any "surprises" Erik might have in store.

To be honest, I was nervous at having to stay in the same hotel room as him, but as we pulled out of my driveway, he surprised me by promising to be gentlemanly, which he had been since the first day we'd met.

"I also reserved two rooms in the hotel, to make you more comfortable," he said as we headed towards the freeway. "Now, you're welcome to sleep during the drive; I know Charlie has been hard on you these past two weeks."

He was right about that. I'd spent the last couple weeks reorganizing the department's files, and had _just_ finished yesterday afternoon. I was lucky the department was so small; otherwise I'd have been doing it for months instead.

But all of my hard work had been worth it. My reward: having today – Friday – as a day off, a day which I had spent packing for this trip. Right now, it was still early afternoon, but with the nearly four hour drive to Seattle, it would be evening by the time we got there.

Yawning, I slumped back against the leather seats and sighed. "Are you sure you don't mind?" I asked, smiling gratefully at him. "I mean, I wouldn't want you to be bored the entire ride. It's a pretty long trip."

He smiled. "It's no trouble. Now, you sleep. It will be dinner time when we get there, and we will still need to check into the hotel and settle in before we eat."

Sighing, I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, promising myself to wake up soon so that I could keep Erik company.

* * *

He didn't have the heart to wake her, even though he wanted to talk to her more than anything. Ellie worked hard for Charlie Swan, and she deserved a nice, long rest.

Even so, the drive to Seattle was excruciating. The smell of Ellie's peppermint-scented body wash was enticing; of all her soaps, it was his favorite, and hers as well. Every time she used it before going on one of their dates, Erik had to fight the urge to pull her close and bury his face in her neck. Her scent was even more torturous within the confines of the car, and he dared not open the window, for fear of making her cold.

Somehow, Erik managed to keep his mind busy. He turned on the radio and played classical music while watching the road and mentally going over his plans for the weekend. He had several places he wanted to take her, but there would have to be enough time for Ellie to pick out a few activities, too. He would ask her about that tomorrow.

After three-and-a-half of the longest hours of his life, he finally pulled the car up in front of the hotel. It was a modern place in the best part of Seattle, so it was rather expensive, but he wanted Ellie to feel safe. Besides, it wasn't as if he couldn't afford it.

As a valet waited for him to step out of the car, Erik gently shook his love's arm. "Ellie, wake up," he said, watching in fascination as her eyes fluttered open.

Sitting up, she yawned and looked around her in surprise. "Oh, gosh, are we there already?" she asked. "I'm sorry, I meant to wake up and try to keep you company as you drove."

He smiled. "That's alright; I was able to keep myself busy. Now, come; we have to let the valet do his job, and go check into the hotel."

Ellie hurriedly gathered herself together and got out, her eyes darting around to look at the beautiful surroundings. The interior was impressive, with black marble floors and a great deal of dark brown and copper colors on the walls. It was a bit dark, but chic, and there were a few small fountains scattered about, filling the air with the scent of clean water and a touch of chlorine.

Within minutes, the clerk checked them in, and handed each of them two key cards for their rooms as the bell boy took their luggage on ahead of them. Erik nodded his thanks and turned to lead Ellie to the elevators. She had just finished admiring the foyer when the doors opened and he led her inside. As he pushed the button for their floor, Ellie turned to look at him.

"Erik, this place looks very expensive," she said, clearly feeling uneasy. "I'm not sure if I feel right about you spending so much money."

He put a comforting arm around her. "I want to do this for you," he assured her. "I have a great deal of money, and I want to spend at least a little of it on you."

The elevator drew to a stop, and he escorted her to their rooms, which stood next to one another with a door connecting them.

"Go change and get ready for dinner," he told her. "I'll see you in an hour out here in the hallway."

Bowing over her hand, he pressed a swift kiss to it and went to his rooms to dress.

* * *

Though I still felt guilty about him spending so much on the hotel rooms, I decided to not be a spoilsport and go meet Erik as planned. Twenty minutes after we met in the hall, the two of us were walking into a small, but very popular, seafood restaurant. In the front of the long narrow space was an oyster bar, but our hostess led us past this to the candlelit area in the back, where we were seated in a cozy leather booth.

As we were handed the menu, I noticed a few people throwing curious looks in Erik's direction, but he was too busy looking over the entrées. After a while, the looks stopped, and when our server returned, Erik ordered a dozen oysters for us to share, much to my embarrassment. I knew what oysters meant, but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. When they were served to us, on the half-shell and elegantly arranged on a bed of crushed ice, I took a deep breath and swallowed nervously, praying that they weren't a hint of what Erik had in mind for later tonight.

Erik smiled at me. "Don't worry, I'm not insinuating anything. It's just that I have never eaten oysters before, and I'm excited to try them. Shall we?"

Trying to hide my unease, I smiled back at him and sampled a small oyster that the menu said came from Japan. As the (expensive) delicacy slid over my tongue and down my throat, I was astonished at the sweet tang that filled my mouth. It didn't even need cocktail sauce –it was that flavorful. I'd never had such wonderful-tasting oysters before, and neither had Erik. Between the two of us, we managed to polish the twelve shellfish off easily.

Dinner was served soon afterwards: Erik having salmon on a cedar plank with potatoes, and me having a seafood pasta dish that was the freshest-tasting I'd ever had. Dessert was a refreshing sorbet trio that Erik and I fed to one another in the glittering candlelight.

But in spite of the romantic ambience of the restaurant, the best part came after we left the restaurant, when Erik took me to the boardwalk. There was a light wind, but the sun was shining and warm, turning the water to a sea of glittering diamonds. I felt his large, gentle hand find mine, and as the sun began to set, Erik offered me his jacket.

Together, we watched the sun set, and I felt an arm slip around my shoulders. Looking up, I found Erik's lips pressing softly against my own. Sighing, I leaned into the kiss, savoring the lingering taste of our sorbets on his lips. I gasped when I felt his tongue boldly trace along my mouth, seeking entrance. He had never tried _that_ before!

At my gasp, Erik took advantage of my parted lips and slipped his tongue past them to caress my own. A shot of pure heat shot down to my toes, and I felt myself grow lightheaded. His arm tightened around me, pulling me flush against him.

Never before had he held me like this. So far, we had only exchanged soft, tender kisses in the movie theater, or whenever we watched a movie at his house. This was so much different –now I could feel the need in his kiss, and the fierce strength he had hidden beneath his shirts and jackets. Even his body felt hotter than I'd imagined it would.

He pulled back abruptly, breathing heavily while leaving me breathless. "Forgive me, my angel," Erik whispered, green eyes burning in the last rays of sunlight. "I did not mean to be so bold."

"It's alright," I replied, trying to catch my breath and tame my erratic heartbeat.

A large hand reached up to gently caress my face. "You are magnificent in the colors of sunset," he whispered. "I hope to capture it in paint when we return home. Perhaps you will sit for me, and allow me to sketch you?"

"Sure," I said, still dazed from the kiss. "But first, I think we need to get back to the hotel. It must be getting late."

Without a word, Erik escorted me back to the hotel and returned me to my room. There he left me to my own thoughts, which were a jumbled mess even as I brushed my teeth and crawled into bed. Lying there on my back, my mind wouldn't sit still until midnight, and even then, I had dreams that troubled me, though I would not be able to remember them in the morning.

* * *

Splashing his face with cold water, Erik felt the beads of moisture roll down his chest, evaporating quickly against the heat radiating from his skin. His mind was afire with one thought alone: Ellie.

She had felt something tonight on the boardwalk, he was sure of that. He had felt her heart beat faster at his bold kiss and caress, and knew that she desired him as much as he did her. It was a very good thing they were in separate rooms with the adjoining door locked, or else he would not have been able to stop himself from claiming her fully tonight.

'_I mustn't move too fast_,' he lectured himself as he rubbed a bit of ointment against his scarred cheek. '_I do not wish to frighten her away_.'

For a while longer, he would romance her, but sooner or later, his desire and need for Ellie would consume him, and he would have to claim her. But for now, this weekend would prove critical in their budding romance; if he could manage to win even a fragment of her love, that was all it would take. Soon, that small spark of love would grow to full-force, and then she would willingly become his mate.

Erik closed his eyes and smiled, imagining the day they would become one.

Tonight, however, he would try and get some sleep. He would need his awareness and strength for tomorrow.

* * *

AN: Hmm, looks like things are moving quite well for Erik, isn't it? More fun to come next chapter! Please be kind and review!


	6. Seattle

Disclaimer: I don't own anything _**Phantom of the Opera**_ or _**Twilight**_ (though I wish I did). Only original characters belong to me.

AN: I adore Seattle, especially the restaurants and Pike's Market. However, I won't name any restaurants here in this chapter (I don't want to be sued, after all). Please enjoy yourselves, and don't forget to review! Thanks!

**Chapter 6: Seattle:**

Waking up the next morning, Erik immediately decided that oysters were a _very_ bad thing to have whenever he was around Ellie. Actually, he'd probably avoid them altogether from now on –they were, after all, a natural aphrodisiac, and that could prove dangerous when it came to werewolves.

But the desire to try the marvelous shellfish had been irresistible. Growing up in the middle of a forest, far from the ocean, the only seafood he'd experienced was the local fish caught in lakes or ponds, or which were shipped in to the local markets. Even then, it was rarely served, because his mother detested handling it. His parents had preferred lamb, mutton, pork, chicken, venison, and most of all, beef. Erik guessed it was the "wolf" in them that preferred to have meat and poultry over fish.

Here in Seattle, a city renowned for its fresh seafood, Erik had thought to at least _try_ a few of the famous shellfish. He was trying to slowly expand his diet beyond what he'd grown up with, and Seattle seemed the perfect place to do it. Besides, the restaurant had an oyster bar, and it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Now he knew better.

All night long, Erik's senses had been in overdrive. He was well-aware of Ellie sleeping in the next room, and part of him had been desperate to ram through the adjoining door and claim her as his mate. It had taken all of his strength and willpower to clamp down on those urges and stay in his room.

Sometime in the middle of the night, the aphrodisiacs had worked their way out of his system, and he was finally able to get some sleep. It was nearly noon when he woke, and that was only because someone was knocking on the adjoining door.

"Erik? Are you alright?" It was Ellie.

He quickly leapt out of bed to throw the door open, finding her there in jeans and a red blouse that brought out the color of her eyes. As he drank in the sight of her, the surprised look on Ellie's face pulled him back to reality as he tried to understand why she was staring at him.

Then he realized that he had forgotten to put a shirt on.

* * *

'_Oh_…_my_…_God_,' my brain practically screamed.

Meanwhile, I was trying extremely hard not to stare and drool at the man standing before me.

I had already known that Erik was fit, but the amount of abdominal and arm muscles that filled my eyes were beyond impressive. I had felt those arm and shoulder muscles flex whenever my hands rested there, and observed the firmness of his chest when he held me, but to actually _see_ it was making my insides quake in excitement. The small amount of hair sprinkled around his chest was also very appealing.

Swallowing hard, I tried to gather my brain together. Then, when I was finally able to look up at him, I saw that he wasn't wearing his mask.

Blinking, I took it in. The right side of his face wasn't pretty: three red scars in the shape of what looked like claw marks ran from his hairline down to just above his jaw line. There were also marks from what looked like a nasty meeting with sharp branches or bramble bushes, which ran from the side of his nose back towards his ear. Miraculously, his eye was whole and untouched.

'_Poor man_,' I thought while managing to give Erik a smile. I was only moderately successful with the smile, but at least he returned it.

"Forgive me," he said, cheeks slightly reddening. "I should have dressed more appropriately."

"Oh, don't worry about it," I hurriedly told him. "I shouldn't have disturbed your rest. Sorry about that; I should have known that you'd be tired after all that driving and everything."

Erik waved my words aside. "No, I slept far later than I should. I'll dress, and then we'll go for lunch somewhere. My only question is where you would like to go after we eat."

I thought about it. "Well, Pike's Market is always a fun way to burn several hours. After that, we can see."

He agreed and went to go shower and change. I, meanwhile, closed the connecting door and tried to think of anything except a shirtless Erik.

* * *

The first thoughts in Erik's head were, '_Well, that had been unexpected. At least I now know that she attracted to me_.'

And he knew it was attraction he'd seen in her eyes and on her face. She admired his physique, at least, and that only increased his chances at winning her. Females always wanted a male who was in prime shape, and he was most definitely that.

Turning towards his bedside table, Erik stopped in his tracks. There lay his white mask, staring back at him. He had forgotten to put it on while answering the door, meaning that Ellie had seen him without it on.

Part of him began to panic. Was she disgusted by what she had seen? Would she ask for him to take her back to Forks, or take a cab home? Worst of all, would she reject him because of the scars that marked his face?

He stood there for several minutes, his mind full of worries and fear. He couldn't bear to lose her, not now, not when he was getting so close to winning her heart!

A knock came on the adjoining door. "Erik, can you please hurry?" Ellie called, sounding both frustrated and a little bit whinny. "I haven't had breakfast, and I'm starved!"

Her words made him laugh a bit, his amusement crushing his fears. If she'd feared him, she wouldn't have been nagging him through the door. Perhaps things would work out well after all.

* * *

Lunch was a massive, delicious pastrami sandwich from a deli nearby, with cups of French Onion Soup accompanying it. I found it funny that Erik didn't think much of the soup, but he really liked the sandwich (which I suspected was because of the huge amount of meat on it).

Full to near-bursting, we toddled downhill towards Pike's Market, joining the throngs of people going through the long, and relatively narrow, center aisle. We first passed an Italian grocery store, and then came to a stop at a stall that sold fresh mini donuts, cooked right there at the cart. Erik bought a dozen coated in powdered sugar, which we proceeded to munch on as we walked.

I absolutely had to stop and admire the different kinds of fruits and vegetables being sold, and lamented the fact that I had no way of buying any to take home. There was a lot of stuff in Seattle that couldn't be found in Forks, and I mentally slapped myself for not bringing a cooler (and more cash) so that I could lug a whole load of produce home with me. Maybe next time.

Further through the market we walked, and we stopping just in time to join a large gathered crowd. It was a good thing we'd stopped when we did, because a few seconds later, I saw a huge salmon go flying by. I laughed and clapped with the crowd, but Erik merely looked confused.

"It's the famous flying fish of Pike's Market," I said, grinning as the hawkers yelled and threw another salmon from the sidewalk up to the counter.

"I still don't understand," he muttered to me. "Is this an American thing?"

I laughed and shook my head. "Maybe. I guess we just like watching people handle, toss, and catch slippery fish. You have to admit, it takes skill. Oh, look, they've got samples of smoked salmon!"

Apparently Erik had never eaten salmon before, but he seemed to like it a lot. He told me that fish had been rarely served in his home in France, and proceeded to buy a dozen packs of both fresh and smoked salmon, all in a variety of flavors. He ordered it shipped to his home in Forks, and gave the man behind the counter a nice tip for being so helpful, which the guy appreciated.

Further into the market, we saw florists skillfully crafting bouquets while we watched. Erik wanted to buy one for me, but I didn't want to lug a huge bouquet all over the city, so I turned it down. However, I did let him buy me a gorgeous silver bracelet from a local artist, a slip-on cuff an inch wide with an oval piece of onyx the size of my thumbnail. There were beautiful vines and floral designs engraved into it. I absolutely loved it.

"And it'll last much longer than flowers will," I teased while slipping it on. Erik rolled his eyes, but I could tell he was amused.

We passed a stall selling honey, and I purchased a couple jars –one orange-flavored, another hinted with lavender. They'd be perfect for toast and tea during winter time.

An hour later, we stepped out of the market with considerably less cash in our pockets, and several bags of purchases. The donuts were long gone, and our feet were aching like crazy. Erik proposed returning to the hotel for a nap, and I eagerly agreed.

As I closed the hotel room door behind me, I collapsed on the bed and was asleep in an instant.

* * *

When I woke, it was late afternoon, but not quite dinner time. Yawning, I got off the bed and made for the bathroom, only to find an envelope on the floor by the adjoining door. Puzzled, I picked it up.

It was a note from Erik, saying that he was awake, and that I was to knock on the adjoining door as soon as I was up. I did as he requested, and was surprised when he immediately opened the door.

"_Bien_!" he exclaimed with a smile. "I'm so happy to see you awake. I thought we would go out for dinner and a night at the opera. Does that suit you?"

I smiled. It sounded like the perfect evening. "It sounds wonderful. I'll go change, and then we can head out."

In less than an hour, we were sitting in a swanky Japanese restaurant. Erik had never experienced Japanese food, but when I'd requested it, he'd given in. Now it seemed that he was regretting it.

Taking pity on him, I explained the dishes I recognized on the menu, and suggested that we ask the server for help if we needed it. Erik considered it before deciding to have whatever I was eating. When our server returned, I ordered for the both of us.

By the end of the meal, Erik was as much a fan of Japanese food as I was. He liked the miso soup, the shrimp and salmon sushi dishes, and the bowls of udon noodle soup. He even liked the cucumber salad they brought us.

Following a dessert of house-made chocolate ice cream, we made our way to the theater, where we saw a magnificent production of _Carmen_ come to life onstage. During the intermission, Erik bought two glasses of champagne, which I enjoyed, and after watching a wonderful performance with fantastic costumes and skilled actors, I had to give them a standing ovation, which Erik joined me in.

As he escorted me back to the hotel, I couldn't help but feel sad and disappointed that we would be going home tomorrow morning.

* * *

He was dreaming –Erik knew that instinctively.

In his dreams, he held Elicia in his arms, her lips pressed against his in the deepest, fiercest embrace he'd ever felt. The world around them was black and lit with fire, but they were not afraid, standing in the midst of the flames with no one there but them. Even the wood of the platform they stood on remained untouched.

His hands slid down her back, gliding over the white nightgown she wore while pulling her fully against him, the heat in his blood seeming to burn him from within as his tongue traced the inside of her mouth. Her hands were not idle, either, sliding up and down his arms and back as she returned his kiss.

Somehow, they ended up in a bed surrounded by floating white silk clouds, and as he reached for the hem of her nightdress, his conscience jerked him awake.

"_Mon Dieu_!" he gasped, gripping the sheets tightly as he tried to catch his breath. Sweat covered his skin, but the heat of his body soon dispelled it.

Oh, Lord, it was much worse than he'd thought. Part of him screamed to go into the next room and join his love in her bed, but the more sensible part said to wait. He chose to follow the latter's advice.

'_I cannot act too fast, or else she will run_.' He could not afford to chase Ellie away now, not when he knew how close he was to winning her.

A strange scent caught his nose, and it took him a moment to realize that it was Ellie's.

He groaned, knowing that it was her scent that had caused his dreams. After today, he would have to be careful to never spend another night near her, not until she was ready to…well, go further.

'_If I do, I could lose control. I cannot lose control around Ellie_.'

Closing his eyes, Erik tried to get back to sleep. He had a long drive in the morning, and he needed to drop Ellie back home so that she could get ready for work on Monday. In the meantime, he would try and get his emotions under control.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Jolting awake, I tried to catch my breath. My head was filled with lingering images from my dream, and it took me a minute to get my thoughts together. That wasn't easy, considering what I'd been dreaming about.

In my dream world, the kiss Erik and I had shared on the boardwalk had gone a _lot_ further, and just as things began to get interesting, I woke up, panting and coated in sweat. My heart took a while to calm down, and by the time it did, the sweat had evaporated in the dryness of my air-conditioned room.

"Whoa," I whispered, rubbing my head in confusion. '_What was __**that**__ all about_?' Wasn't it a bit soon to be having dreams about the guy I was dating?

Breathing deeply, I tried to clear my head so that I could go back to sleep. I slowly lay back down and closed my eyes, but sleep wouldn't come. I ended up tossing and turning, Erik's handsome face dancing before my eyes until I somehow managed to loose consciousness out of sheer exhaustion.

* * *

I woke close to noon, and had to hurry up to make the hotel's check-out time. I barely made it out of the room on time, but I wasn't the only one –Erik and I ended up in the same elevator heading down towards the lobby. I gave him an awkward smile as the doors closed, one that he shyly returned. It seemed that he hadn't slept any better than I had.

Our ride down was silent, and it didn't take long for him to settle the bill. A valet brought the car around, and soon we were on our way home.

The drive was quiet, with Erik focusing on the road and me trying not to look over at him every five seconds. I still remembered my dream, and couldn't help but feel uncomfortable about it. I knew it was normal for women to have that kind of fantasy, but I still felt weird for having it about the man I was dating. I mean, what did that say about me?

'_Well, it says that you're a normal woman with needs_,' commented a part of my brain.

Okay, that was true, but I still had morals that I was going to hold on to, even if they made me act conscientious around Erik. I mean, I'd only been dating the guy a couple months, and I was not going to sleep with the guy unless I was sure our relationship was going somewhere.

'_It also helps that Erik's a perfect gentleman. He won't push the issue, not like most guys_.'

"Would you like something to eat?"

I jumped, then laughed nervously at the amused look on Erik's face. "Sorry, I was thinking. Yes, food would be wonderful."

We stopped at a small, homey diner and shared a basket of fish-and-chips. It was delicious; the fish was fresh, and the fries crispy on the outside and melty on the inside. Perfect.

"I'm sorry we didn't eat before we left," Erik apologized as we headed back onto the road. "I wanted to get as much of a head start as possible, especially since we both slept late."

I smiled at him. "It's okay. I never got to thank you for the trip. I'll pay you back for the food and everything when I get my next paycheck, I promise."

"Don't you dare," he said, merging into traffic. "I wanted to take you on this trip; you owe me nothing for it."

Feeling bold, I leaned over and pressed a kiss to his chin. "You're sweet. Thanks so much for this weekend. I'll never forget it."

Yawning a little, I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes.

* * *

Smiling like a fool, Erik tried to keep his eyes focused on the road and not on the enchanting creature sleeping next to him.

The first half of the drive had been awkward, with his nightly dreams weighing heavily on his mind. It had taken all his will to stay focused on the road and not on Ellie or her enticing scent. There was also the fact that he could _feel_ her presence and the warmth of her body, so close to his.

After lunch, though, things felt less stressful to his senses. Ellie's kiss might have had something to do with it, but perhaps it was because he could feel her softening towards him.

In the meantime, he had a long way until Forks, so he might as well enjoy having Ellie to himself for a little while longer.

* * *

AN: More fun next chapter! Thanks for reading, and please review.


	7. An Inner Tug of War

Disclaimer: I don't own anything _**Phantom of the Opera**_ or _**Twilight**_ (though I wish I did). Only original characters belong to me.

AN: This is going to be a much shorter chapter, with just a quick bit of insight into Ellie's emotions and thoughts. Actually, it's more of a "filler chapter," because it doesn't quite fit into the later ones. I'll post the next one soon, though, so don't worry.

Thanks so much for reading, and please review!

Chapter 7: An Inner Tug-of-War:

In the days following my trip to Seattle with Erik, my emotions and thoughts were in chaos. My mind and my heart were constantly fighting each other, and I had no idea what to do about it. It didn't help that Erik was proving to be the most romantic, thoughtful man I had ever met, either.

Even though I was in my late twenties, I had very little experience with men. I had been so focused on myself and achieving the goals my parents (though mostly my mother) wanted for me that I'd never really gotten the chance to date anyone, at least until I'd met Erik.

From my teens onwards, I had been focused on graduating high school and college, then proceeding on to getting a job to support myself. After I'd managed to find a good job, life had been the same old routine: getting up, going to work, and coming home for the night, before starting the whole cycle over again. I hadn't had time for love, dating, or romance; I was too busy trying to make my own life to concentrate on anything else.

It wasn't like I was a cold, career-driven person, though. I had friends I hung out with, mostly girls and their boyfriends, but dating just seemed beyond my comprehension. I was relatively content with what I had, and knew that if I didn't put my heart on the line, I wouldn't get hurt.

Oh, alright, I admit it: I was scared. I'd been scared then, and I was scared now.

Back then, I'd been on the listening end of stories my female friends told me about their own personal love lives. With all the horrible things they told me, it was no wonder that I didn't really want to be involved with anyone, especially not when things could get nasty or (at worst) abusive. Since I wasn't the sort of person who enjoyed drama, my head decided that I shouldn't get involved in a relationship.

My heart, however, was another story. Like any girl, I longed to love and be loved in return by someone special. Heck, I even thought it might be good to get my heart broken once or twice, but the fear of being caught up in drama I didn't want tended to push all feelings and longings for romance aside.

Then came Erik; the tall, dark, handsome, mysterious Frenchman who turned my entire world upside-down.

There wasn't a woman on the planet who'd have second thoughts about dating him. After all, Erik was rich, kind, polite, and chivalrous, all traits that were hard to find grouped in one man. Even with the mask, he was one stunning sight to behold.

'_So why am I making such a big deal out of this_?' I wondered, staring out the window at the back of my home.

Because I had no idea what I was doing, or what I was in for with this relationship.

Right now, it seemed as though Erik was moving things forward a bit quickly for my taste, and according to my friends back home, that could be a bad thing. My friends had always said that a man who moves fast is only after one thing, and that was something I was not willing to "give up" any time soon.

"Either that, or he's a clingy sort of person, desperate for attention," one of my friends had griped about one of her former beaus. "They want someone to love them and take care of them, like a nanny or maternal figure."

Since Erik wasn't clingy, but genuinely loving and passionate, I didn't think this was his problem. Nor was he the sort to hurry and try to get a girl into his bed, otherwise he would have tried it on me already.

But then, why had he asked me to join him on a trip to Seattle, a trip that was still stuck in the back of my head? That had been after two months of dating, and honestly, I believed that going on a trip as a couple was for those already in a long, serious relationship, which Erik and I hadn't been in at the time.

That was why my feelings and thoughts were all tied in knots: it was just too much for little inexperienced me to handle, and after that trip to Seattle, I knew that my feelings for Erik had changed.

Before the trip, I had merely liked being with him and spending time with him. Our dates had been the usual, low-key stuff, gradually moving up from trips to the movie theater to evenings at his art-filled home. His kisses had been soft and sweet, with a small spark of passion in them that kept me coming back for more.

Now, a month after Seattle, I knew that things were different. I was starting to fall for him, and that both scared and thrilled me. Inside, my heart was saying one thing, but my brain was screaming something else altogether. It was starting to drive me crazy.

Being a rather sensible person, I tended to listen to what my head was telling me. With Erik, it said that things were moving too quickly, than we needed to take our time and that I needed to get to know him better. After all, how much did I know about the man?

Well, I knew he was from the French countryside, and had grown up rather isolated from other people. I figured it had to do with the scars on his face, which appeared to have come from an encounter with a wild animal. My guess was that he had chosen to stay away from others for fear of social ridicule, and probably come to Forks for a change in scenery and society. All of that seemed to make sense, but Erik always avoided my questions, so I'd learned to stop asking and just let things be, a fact my brain found hard to accept.

My heart, on the other hand, was the opposite. Whenever Erik was around, I could feel my pulse quicken, my cheeks flush, and a smile form on my lips. Sometimes, I had to fight the very sappy urge to sigh, which I knew was a sign that I was falling for him.

But what had my heart really cheering was that even after three months of dating, I hadn't gotten tired of Erik's company, nor he of mine. In fact, it seemed as though Erik enjoyed it more with each evening or date we went on. And I had to admit, I loved spending time with him, too. But with my attention torn between two arguing parties, I knew I had to get help when it came to love.

And who better to go to for advice than a few friends of mine?

* * *

Needless to say, Alice and Bella were surprised to hear from me, but they agreed to come over. Since Bella was married and Alice was beyond in love with Jasper, I figured they'd be the best people to turn to. Besides, they were close to my age, and I didn't feel comfortable going to Rosalie, or Sue Clearwater, who was a widow –the last thing I needed was to bring up sad memories for her.

So here we were, seated comfortably on my couch, with me sandwiched between Bella and Alice.

Ever sympathetic and sisterly, Alice reached over to take my hand. As usual her skin was ice-cold, but that wasn't surprising, considering where we lived. Besides, I'd gotten used to it –Alice was a hugger, and always greeted me with a friendly embrace. Cold hands were nothing new to me.

"Now, Ellie, what's wrong?" she asked, tucking her feet up under her.

I took a deep breath, gathered my courage, and told them about my situation. Both listened intently, and when I finished, I saw an amused smile on Alice's face.

"Did it scare you? When you met Jasper, I mean," I asked, looking at her, then at Bella. "Or when you met Edward?"

Alice shook her head. "I knew that Jasper was The One for me. Don't ask me how, but I knew."

Bella smiled awkwardly. "It wasn't that easy for me and Edward. When we first met, I thought he hated me for some reason, and it took us a while to work things out. But in the end, we knew we were drawn to each other, and saw how deep our love went."

Her head quirked to one side in puzzlement. "Are you having confusing feelings about Erik? Is that why you wanted to talk?"

I sighed and pulled my knees up under my chin. "I don't know what or how I feel. Part of me feels something strongly for him, but another part…"

Alice patted my shoulder in sympathy. "You're listening to your head more than your heart, Ellie," she said. "The problem is that you've got little to no experience when it comes to love, and having those feelings scares the hell out of you."

She was right, and I told her so. "The only things I have to go on when it comes to guys are the stories my friends back in Oregon told me," I said, rubbing my temples. "Some of what they've said has to be good advice, but the rest of it has to be angry venting, and I just don't know how to shift through that to find what I need."

Bella leaned over and put her arms around me. "You're making this more complicated than it really is," she whispered. "You're relying on what you've heard rather than experiencing it for yourself. Hearing and feeling are two completely different things. Let your feelings out more, and if your heart says to go on dating Erik, then do it."

"Sometimes the head is right, and sometimes the heart is," Alice said. "But the only way you'll find out which one is the winner is if you just go with it and see where love and life takes you."

Though I was scared to take their advice, I knew it was the best that I'd ever gotten. I had to just let things go and see where this whole thing with Erik would take me.

Inside, I smiled as my heart beat faster with just the mere thought of him. Maybe going with the flow wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

"She's in love with him," Alice said as she turned onto the main road towards home.

Bella looked over at her in surprise. "You're joking, right?" Then she remembered who she was talking to, and laughed. "Of course you're not. Did you See something when it came to Ellie and Erik?"

Her sister-in-law smirked. "I didn't need to; it's all over her face. She's falling hard for him, but her head keeps fighting it. Her mind is filled with doubt, and it's keeping her from going to the next level in their relationship. I think we gave her a nudge in the right direction, though. I Saw the two of them sitting in a _very_ cozy position on his couch, so I'm pretty sure that things will be looking up for them."

"I hope so," Bella muttered, worried in spite of herself. "Ellie deserves to be happy, and so does Erik."

It was a pity that she and Alice couldn't tell Ellie the truth about their relationships with their husbands. Vampire romances were a bit different than their werewolf counterparts, but the "connections" that formed were the same: both knew when they had found their soulmates, and knew when to recognize the connection.

In regards to Erik, there was no doubt that he knew Ellie was his other half. Ellie, however, knew nothing about her boyfriend's true nature, and had to slowly build on her feelings the old-fashioned way.

Bella looked out the window and sighed. Hopefully, everything would work out in the end –for both of them.

* * *

AN: Review?


	8. Complications

Disclaimer: I don't own anything _**Phantom of the Opera**_ or _**Twilight**_ (though I wish I did). Only original characters belong to me.

AN: More of the Cullens in this chapter (I know, I've neglected them), and some romance for Erik and Elicia. There's also a "complication," which as we know in the _**Twilight**_ universe means serious trouble. Thanks for reading, and please review.

**Chapter 8: Complications:**

Sitting on a cliff overlooking the ocean, Erik savored the feel of cool sea air combing through his fur. However, part of him wished it were Ellie's fingers tangled in his black coat instead if the wind.

Huffing through his canine nostrils, his mind lingered on Elicia. They had officially been dating for six months, and he wanted to mark this anniversary with something special.

'_Perhaps another visit to Seattle_?' he wondered. They hadn't been back since their first trip, so that was a possibility.

Flowers were out of the question; he still sent her those weekly. Jewelry, on the other hand, might be the perfect solution to his problem, but he had to get the details right when it came to a gift for Ellie.

'_Should it be gold or silver_? _A bracelet, necklace, ring, or a pendant on a necklace_?'

Would gemstones be too much? Diamonds might be a touch too early to give, especially when the first diamond he wanted to give her was set in an engagement ring –a very _expensive_ engagement ring.

His mind spinning with ideas, Erik decided to design a bracelet, a necklace and a pendant before deciding which one he liked better. Their anniversary wasn't for two weeks, anyway. The ring, however, could wait a little while longer; he wanted to get that one perfect before making it a reality.

Sniffing the air, a horrid stench caught his attention. It was the scent of a vampire, but not one of the Cullens –he recognized all of them, right down to little Renesmee. This one was new, and he didn't like it one bit. Something was terribly wrong, he could feel it.

'_I have to tell Jacob_.' Turning, he leaped into the forest, racing for Jacob's home.

* * *

The Cullens were not happy about their new visitor, and it was obvious. They disliked his cold manner, his cool, even gaze, and the fact that he clearly thought himself above them merely because he was part of the Volturi.

When the Volturi had left two years ago, following the failure of their investigation into the matter of Renesmee, the Cullens had thought the matter settled and gone back to their 'lives' (if one could call it "living").

Unfortunately, the Volturi hadn't forgotten the matter, and refused to "let it go," a term clearly not in their vocabulary. They had sent this envoy to Forks as a way of checking up on how little Renesmee was doing, and now the Cullens were forced to house the stranger until he left.

"We've no love for the Volturi, but with the power and numbers they have behind them, we don't really have a choice in the matter," Carlisle had told his family when they got the news from Italy. "I refuse to let the werewolves in on this, even if Nessie is Jacob's soulmate. Let this envoy come and do what he was ordered to, then leave. After that, everything will be back to normal."

And so he came.

Donovan Olivier was a vampire of French and English descent, and was over a century old. Though he was relatively young by vampire standards, he would forever appear to be a man in his late thirties. And in spite of his vampire age, Donovan was one of the most trusted henchmen of the Volturi.

Tall, with long blond hair, strong features, and a _very_ strong physique, Donovan was the image of a perfect vampire. He was also cold, intimidating, and willing to go to great lengths to follow any order given to him by the Volturi, just like his distant cousin, Jane.

So far, things were going fairly smoothly. Edward read his thoughts, and knew that he was taking careful mental notes on how things were progressing for Nessie. Bella was anxious, as any mother would be, but she and the rest of the clan acted decently whenever Donovan was inside the house, if only to keep things peaceful.

Unfortunately, it was when their visitor was _outside_ the house that they had to worry.

When told that he was forbidden to drink from humans, Donovan hadn't taken the news well. However, he had no choice but to share the Cullen family diet of animal blood, especially when both the werewolves and Cullens protected the town. However, Donovan preferred to hunt alone, and was always successful in catching prey.

After putting up with him for over a week, the Cullens were thrilled when he announced to Carlisle that he was satisfied with their situation, and was going to leave in a few days.

Of course, that was when things got complicated.

* * *

He could hardly wait to leave this disgusting place. That the Cullens would live in peace with werewolves, and work together with them to protect humans made them a disgrace. Humans were food, but there were so many more of them than of vampire-kind, so there was a need to be careful. That, however, did not mean that they needed _protecting_.

Oh, how Donovan longed for Italy. At the side of the Volturi, he was able to drink his fill, and didn't have to resort to the unsatisfying taste and nourishment of animal blood.

Gliding into the living area of the house, he looked around. He already knew who was home: it was his gift to instantly detect how many people were in any building, and where they were. That was why the Volturi had sent him, in case the Cullens tried to hide the half-breed from him somewhere.

However, today there was someone missing: Isabella, wife of Edward. She hadn't left the home since he had arrived, so where was she today?

"She's visiting her father," commented Edward Cullen as he entered the room.

"Is that a good idea?" Donovan sneered. He detested it when Edward read his thoughts. "We wouldn't want _humans_ knowing about our kind, now, would we?"

Edward shrugged. "Bella loves her father, and respects him. If she wishes to keep in contact with her family, we won't stop her."

Before Donovan could respond, Isabella walked through the sliding glass door. The wind caught her hair, and blew in a faint smell of humans, the scent of which made his mouth water. Her father was the police chief, and therefore associated with many humans; it was possible that their scents had rubbed off on him, and thus to his daughter.

But what caught his attention was something lingering _under_ the all those echoes of human odor.

'_Feminine_,' he thought, sniffing the air. '_Delicious, female, alluring, and_…_intoxicating_.'

Then it was gone. As Isabella moved past him, Donovan grabbed her arm and sniffed the air. She stiffened in alarm as Edward moved forward to protect his wife.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, trying to pry her arm free.

He closed his eyes and inhaled. "You've a certain… fragrance to you, Isabella. Tell me, where did you meet your father today?"

She wouldn't answer him, but that was alright; he'd find out on his own.

* * *

It was child's play to trail Isabella's car back to town and to the police department. It had been early afternoon on a weekday when "Bella," as her family called her, returned home, so she must have been visiting her father at his workplace.

Standing under the trees across from the station, Donovan watched employees come and go until early evening. A flood of officers and other workers streamed out the door as their work shifts ended, and Donovan kept his senses open so as not to miss who he'd come here for.

At last, a young woman emerged, and the scent that carried on the winds told him that she was the source of the delicious aroma that Bella had brought home.

She was five feet, three inches tall, with brown hair falling in slight waves and curls just below her shoulders. He could see her eyes matched her hair, and the curves displayed by her work clothes were very promising. Donovan liked what he saw (and smelled) very much.

Gathering his patience, he waited to see where she was going so he could get her alone. There were things he wanted to know about her, and the best source was the woman's own lips.

However, the woman headed not for a car of her own, but for a man who was getting out of a very expensive vehicle. The delighted smile she wore indicated that she not only knew the man, but she was likely being courted by him.

The wind blew their scents to him, and Donovan had to fight the urge to gag. The stench of werewolf was in the air, no doubt belonging to the male stranger. The thought of her being touched by a mangy dog made him want to go tear the other man's throat out with his teeth.

'_Not now, though_,' he cautioned himself. '_Think before you act_.'

That was why some vampires found themselves in trouble: they acted before they thought. Luckily, Donovan wasn't the sort to do that –if he wanted the girl, he would have to watch and wait. Once she was alone, he would do what he had to.

* * *

Pulling up to the police station, Erik patted his pocket to see if his gift for Ellie was still there. It was, safe and sound, and ready for tonight. Taking a breath to calm himself, he got out of the car, and was met by his beautiful love.

"Erik!" Ellie cried as she wrapped her arms around him.

If he'd been feline instead of canine, Erik would have purred. There was nothing he liked more than holding his love close to him, especially when she was happy to see him. Being in her arms and having her scent around him was like being in heaven.

"I missed you, my angel," he whispered to her.

Lately, he had started giving her pet-names, which she didn't seem to mind. Ellie hadn't come up with one for him yet, but as long as he was able to express his affections, that was alright. The fact that she didn't object to him furthering their relationship this way spoke volumes about how her feelings for him, though she wasn't ready to admit them yet.

'_That will change soon_.'

"Come on, I've got something planned for us tonight," Erik said with a smile.

She looked up at him, suspicious. "Really? And what might that be?"

He smirked. "It's a surprise."

On the ride to his home, Ellie pelted him with questions and guesses as to what the surprise might be, but he refused to answer her. Instead, he merely smiled and teased her until they pulled into the driveway.

Ever the gentleman, Erik ran to open Ellie's door for her, then led her inside, where a marvelous dinner awaited them both. He was thrilled to see her eyes light up in surprise and pleasure when she spotted the candlelit table, fine china, crystal glasses, and waiting bottle of champagne in a silver bucket.

"Oh, Erik, it's beautiful," she breathed.

He smiled. Since neither he nor Ellie could cook very well, they normally didn't eat at his place or hers unless they were getting take-out. Tonight, however, he had asked one of the local high-class restaurant chefs to prepare dinner. It had been pricey, but to see Ellie happy, it was well worth it.

Tonight, it was Italian, her favorite. The chef had made a salad with a light vinaigrette dressing as the starter, a marvelous meat and spinach lasagna as the main course, and chocolate-raspberry mousse for dessert. Ellie looked like she was in heaven.

When the meal was over, they took the rest of the champagne into the living room and collapsed on the couch. All around them were finished or half-finished art pieces, all created by Erik's own hands. It made for a rather cluttered space, but Ellie seemed to like it, so he decided to keep it the way it was.

Full of food and a bit of alcohol, they sat in comfortable silence until Erik decided to put on a CD. It was classical music and seemed to suit the soft, gentle mood they were both in. After a moment, he held his hand out to her.

"Will you dance with me?" he asked softly.

Ellie looked uncomfortable. "Erik…"

Erik chuckled, knowing that she couldn't dance and that she hated that fact. "Don't worry; I'm not expecting you to waltz. A mere slow-dance would be fine."

He understood her discomfort. They'd never danced together before, but he desperately wanted to hold her, and this was the perfect way to do it, especially tonight.

Reluctantly, she set her glass aside and got up to take his hand. Erik closed his eyes as her arms drifted around his neck, the warmth of her body fainter than his own, but far more comforting. Pulling her against him, Erik began to sway into the dance, Ellie slowly following his lead.

She was tense at first, and awkward, but after a while, she began to relax. He felt the tension slowly drain out of her, and smiled as she melted against him.

"You're always so warm," Ellie murmured, resting her head on his chest.

For the thousandth time since he met her, Erik wished he were feline so that he could purr his contentment. "I hope that's not a bad thing," he whispered into her ear.

He felt her chuckle. "Definitely not," she replied. "I'd much rather cuddle against something warm and solidly comforting."

'_Hmm, why do I have the feeling that winter will soon be my favorite season_?' he wondered, smiling broadly.

In the back of his mind, Erik imagined the two of them curled up on the couch, Ellie tucked in his arms and blankets wrapped around them as snow fell outside. There would be a fire in the fireplace, hot chocolate in mugs, and either music or the television on while they savored being together.

His beautiful imaginings vanished when a breeze blew through the window. It brought a terrible scent that he recognized, one he'd detected weeks ago on the cliffs overlooking the sea.

'_Vampire_,' snarled the wolf within him.

With danger lurking, that part of him desperately wanted to get out, change shape and hunt down the intruder. The human part, however, reminded him that Ellie was there, and she probably wouldn't react well to a giant wolf in the house.

'_Damn it, I wish I could contact Jacob_,' he cursed, desperately fighting back his animal side.

The problem was that Erik wasn't part of the Quileute tribe, and therefore couldn't talk to them telepathically. True, he'd told them about the strange vampire in town, and they were on the lookout for it, but they had to be told about the bloodsucker being on their land again.

In fact, just yesterday Jacob had stopped by to discuss the matter.

"We looked into it, and found out that a vampire's been sent to check up on Renesmee," Jacob had explained. "This particular vampire is called Donovan Olivier, and he's staying at the Cullen house, but he's been hunting really close to our territory. The good news is that, so far, he's been feeding on animals, not humans. I haven't told the Cullens specifically _why_ we were asking about this vampire, just that we've scented him around. We're lucky Edward wasn't around to read my thoughts, otherwise they'd know. But according to Carlisle, he should be leaving soon."

Well, it had been good news at the time, but apparently things had changed. Why was this particular vampire here now, right outside Erik's home? What was he after?

The scent became stronger, and Erik turned his head slightly so that he could see outside. He saw a quick flash of gold outside the window, and knew that he and Ellie were being watched.

'_Wait. Could __**Ellie**__ be what he's after_?'

Erik tightened his hold on her the tiniest bit. If it was Ellie the vampire planned to feed on, there was no way he was letting her out of his sight, not until he was sure of her safety.

For now, though, he would try and persuade her to stay the night. And the gift lying in his pocket might just do the trick.

* * *

"I have something for you," Erik whispered into my ear.

I pulled out of the daze that dinner and the dance had put me in, tilting my head back to look up at him. "You do? But you've already done so much-"

He merely chuckled and reached into a pocket. I inhaled sharply at the sight of the long black velvet box. "Here. It's to celebrate our six month anniversary."

All I could do was stare at him. "Our…anniversary?"

Rather than look hurt, Erik merely looked amused. "We have been dating for six months, and I wanted to celebrate the occasion."

Not knowing what else to do, I accepted the box and opened it. Inside was a bracelet made of gold links crafted in the outline of a prowling wolf. It was beautiful.

My heart melted. '_Oh, god, this man is unbelievable_.'

"Do you like it?" Erik asked anxiously.

"I love it," I said, gesturing for him to put it on me, to which he obliged. "Thank you."

I pressed a kiss to his lips, and the two of us continued to sway slowly back and forth, lost in our own little world. As the night wore on, though, I began to yawn.

Erik heard me and chuckled as I gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry," I said, blushing. "I guess the day's catching up with me. Maybe I should head home."

He looked at the clock. "It _is_ rather late. Would you rather stay here? I have a spare bedroom you could use."

It was a tempting offer, I had to admit. I was exhausted from work, the heavy dinner, and the champagne. Each of those alone weren't too bad, but put them together, and I was drained. Besides, it was a separate bedroom.

"Sure, why not?" I said, smiling.

For some reason, he looked relieved. "Good. You can have one of my shirts to sleep in, and I'll get you a toothbrush. Follow me."

* * *

Donovan watched as the wolf presented a gift to the girl, and fumed. It was clear that the wolf intended to claim the girl as his mate, but not yet. The gift hadn't been a ring, so he must be biding his time, but for how long?

'_Considering I have eternity before me, it's ironic that I haven't much time to act_.'

Things became much worse when he heard her agree to spend the night in the wolf's house. Cursing, Donovan realized that the wolf had caught his scent and found a way to keep the girl safe. Now he had no way to steal her away without being caught and destroyed.

"Another time, then," he muttered. After all, the wolf couldn't be with the girl at all hours of the day.

Grinning to himself, Donovan headed off into the night.

* * *

AN: In case readers are wondering: Donovan is basically Julian Sands, a British actor who also once played the Phantom of the Opera in a movie. I didn't care much for that particular version, but I thought Julian made a hot Phantom, so here he is. I hope that everyone enjoyed themselves and will review. Thanks!


	9. In the Woods

Disclaimer: I don't own anything _**Phantom of the Opera **_or_** Twilight**_ (though I wish I did). Only original characters belong to me.

AN: A few more chapters and this story will be finished. I'm going to try and complete this ASAP, since I've got a few other stories brewing in my head, and I'm itching to get started on them. Thanks for reading, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 9: In the Woods:**

Glancing over my shoulder, I tried to shake the feeling that I was being watched, but couldn't. It'd been going on for several days now, and to be honest, it was beginning to scare me. I'd considered telling Charlie about it, but eventually decided to shrug it off, thinking I was imagining it.

I felt differently now.

Opening my front door, I slipped inside and poured myself a cup of iced tea. After chugging that down, I sighed and closed my eyes. '_Maybe I'm working too hard. I should get out and take a walk somewhere, to clear my head a bit_.'

Pulling on a windbreaker, I slipped out the back door and practically ran down the worn pathway that went from my small cottage into the forest. As my feet hit the hiking trail, rain began to drizzle down, but I refused to turn back. Instead, I pulled my hood up and continued on my walk.

* * *

"What do you mean you _lost_ her?" Erik demanded, his temper beginning to get the better of him. "You know what we're protecting her from, but somehow you managed to _loose_ her?"

With the threat of a strange vampire lingering around Forks, Jacob's pack had offered to help Erik keep a constant guard on Ellie. Since he was only one man, Erik had been grateful for their offer, and accepted it without protest. He'd suggested getting the Cullens to help, but that idea was shot down by the pack, who wanted the pleasure of "dealing" with this strange vampire by themselves.

Things were not looking good, though. Seth Clearwater, who had been given the latest watch on Ellie, had turned to Erik's house with bad news: he'd lost Ellie, and her scent, somewhere in the forest behind her house. Now he stood before his pack (whom Seth had 'called' on the way) and Erik, looking beyond guilty while his older sister, Leah, scowled in Erik's direction.

"Give him a break, Erik," she snapped, wrapping an arm around Seth's shoulders. "He's the youngest and least experienced of the pack. How was he to know that she'd go off into the woods?"

"The rain doesn't help, either," Jacob reasoned in an attempt to play peacekeeper. "Erik, what matters is that Ellie is still out there, and there's a vampire on the loose, one who isn't a Cullen. _You_ have to go out and find her. You're the only one who can."

Damn it, he was right, and Erik knew it. Since Ellie was his future mate, Erik was the only one who could find her scent and follow it, even in the rain. Not that this got Seth off the hook –when this was over, he was in for one serious lecture from both Erik and Jacob.

Growling under his breath, Erik shifted into wolf form and dove for the forest.

* * *

I was further from home than I should be, but I still hadn't shaken the feeling that I was being watched and followed. Actually, I had lost the feeling for a while, but now it was back –even worse, it had a different feeling than before.

Thinking back on the whole thing, I realized that it had often seemed that there were two different kinds of eyes watching me. The first set of eyes had been guarding, like someone was watching out for me for some reason. Though it had freaked me out a little, it had felt like I was being sheltered from something.

However, the second set of eyes was different: dangerous, predatory, like a hawk watching a rabbit or mouse it's about to devour. _That_ was what I felt on me now, and I did not like it.

A twig snapped nearby, and I turned, almost jumping out of my skin at what I saw.

Not twenty feet away from me was a tall, handsome, blonde man. Normally, meeting strange men in the woods wouldn't bother me, but this particular man was terrifying. His eyes were blood-red, and the look on his face practically screamed that there was nothing he wanted to do more than tear my throat out.

I froze, pinned to the spot by some unseen force that kept me from running. My head screamed for me to run, but my body wouldn't respond –I was stuck.

"Don't be afraid," the man crooned, his voice soft and beckoning as he spoke. "I won't hurt you."

Even as he said that, I knew he was lying -there was no way he was going to let me live. I had to get out of there, and fast.

Unfortunately, he was faster, a _lot_ faster. I hadn't even taken a step backward before he was there, one hand around my throat as he pinned me to a tree. His grip was firm, but not to the point where he was strangling me. It was as if he was _trying_ to be gentle, but not quite getting there, as though he didn't know how to be gentle.

I opened my mouth to scream, but stopped as he held a finger up to my lips, effectively silencing me without even trying. "Shhh," he hushed, leaning to whisper in my ear. "I'm not going to hurt you, Ellie."

My heart froze. "How do you know my name?" I asked before I could stop myself.

The smirk he gave me was sinister and made my blood run cold. "I know quite a bit about you, dearest Elicia." The look in his blood-red eyes turned hostile. "Though I would know a great deal more had it not been for your…protectors."

"My protectors?" I whispered, very much confused. "What are you talking about?"

He waved my words aside. "Nevermind that. What matters now is that I finally have you, alone and unguarded."

I shivered as he leaned forward and sniffed my neck. He practically purred as he whispered, "Your scent is tantalizing. I shall enjoy turning you."

Oh, that didn't sound good. "Turning me into what?" I stuttered, my voice becoming panicked.

The stranger pulled back, red eyes searching my face. "Into one of my kind, of course. You would truly make a marvelous immortal."

'_Immortal_? _Is he serious_?' My breath caught as I realized that he was, very much so. "What _are_ you?" I breathed, growing even more terrified as those red eyes began to burn hotly.

He smiled. "Forgive me. I am Donovan Olivier. And I am a vampire."

His words hit me like a ton of bricks, and I had the sudden urge to scream, faint, and pray, all at the same time. My mind was filled with images of a terrible death, and tears began to prick my eyes.

Donovan's free hand reached up to caress my cheek. "Don't worry, my dear. The venom will be unbearable for only a short while, and soon, you will be mine."

I watched in horror as he came closer, his teeth growing long and sharp before my eyes. '_Oh, god, I'm going to die_.'

That was when I heard it: a growl that sounded like it was coming from an incredibly large dog. Turning, Donovan looked over his shoulder and snarled. I, meanwhile, tried not to pass out at the sight of the tremendous black wolf that stood close by.

* * *

Snarling at the vampire, the one called Donovan, Erik bared his teeth, showing his anger. It was lucky that he had caught Ellie's scent early, and was able to trail it here. At least he now knew his enemy's name –he had heard him give it only a moment beforehand.

The vampire snarled back as he took a stance to face him, revealing a terrified Ellie cowering against a tree trunk. Erik growled, furious that the bloodsucker had frightened his mate so badly. He took a step forward, ready to rip his opponent to shreds with both teeth and claws.

Behind him, he could sense a few members of the Quileute pack arrive, eager to help get rid of the intruder. He could see the anger and fear in the vampire's eyes, and was satisfied when the creature turned and ran, with Jacob, Seth and Leah close behind him.

Erik made to go after them, but when he saw Ellie's face, he stopped. She was staring at him in a mix of fascination and fear, but eventually the fascination won. That was a good sign.

Exhaling in a _wuff_ through his nose, Erik slowly took a step towards her, letting his anger and need to hunt the vampire drain out of him. To show he meant her no harm, he lowered his head and whined a little as he inched closer. When he was just out of arm's reach, he stopped and sat on his hunches, head down and waiting to see what she would do next.

* * *

Facing a wolf is one thing; facing a _giant_ wolf that could tear my head off with one bite is something else altogether.

He was magnificent, though, with thick black fur and intense green eyes that stayed focused on me while I stared back. He was nearly two feet taller than me, even while he was sitting, and the right side of his face was marked by claw marks, probably from a run-in with another wolf. Even with the scars, he was still beautiful.

Swallowing heavily, I watched as he sat just out of arm's reach, waiting for me to act first. Since he wasn't attacking and seemed pretty tame, I decided to go with the idea that maybe it was some sort of pet.

'_Maybe it escaped from its owner and settle here_?' I wondered.

But that didn't exactly explain the three other wolves that had gone racing into the forest after the vampire. Maybe they were escaped science projects being worked on by the government or something?

'_That's a pretty weak and out there explanation_,' I mentally berated myself. But it was the best I could come up with, at least for now.

The wolf whined and stretched its head out to me, clearly asking to be petted. Since I was an animal lover, I found myself reaching out to him, my hand encountering soft fur before I knew what I was doing.

As I began scratching his head, the wolf made little contented noises sounding somewhere between a growl and a moan, his eyes closing in bliss.

"Oh, you're sweet," I whispered as he affectionately rubbed his muzzle against my right leg.

We stayed like that for a minute, until the wolf pulled his head back to look at me. He seemed to decide something, and to my surprise, he turned so that his left side was facing me. That was when he gestured to his back with a jerk of his head.

Needless to say, I was stunned. Was he asking me to ride on his back? How could a wolf use human gestures like that? Could they be that intelligent?

The wolf _wuffed_ through his nose and again gestured towards his back, this time impatiently. I swallowed heavily and stepped up to him, my mouth dropping open as he got on the ground so that I could get on his broad back a little easier. When he _wuffed_ again, I shut my mouth and tentatively got on, my arms wrapping around his neck as far as they could reach. Once I was in place, I held on as tight as I dared while he got up and loped into the forest.

It was like something out of a fairy tale, a maiden riding a shockingly intelligent beast through the forest as darkness began to fall. The wolf was naturally a fast creature, but this one was doing his best to be careful at keeping me on his back while he picked his way through the foliage and terrain. I felt guilty, since I was no lightweight, but the wolf was stronger than I thought, and kept up a good pace.

We reached the edge of the forest as night fell, and I got yet another surprise: the wolf had brought be right up to the edge of Erik's back yard, where the forest framed a small meadow.

"Okay, how did you know to bring me here?" I asked as the wolf knelt down to let me off. "Are you Erik's secret pet or something?"

The wolf gave me a long, level look before he indicated that I should follow. As much as I wanted to run for Erik's home, I gave into my curiosity and trailed the wolf back a bit further into the woods.

What I saw there was enough to make any girl faint.

Right in front of me, the wolf turned away and changed into the form of a naked man. When he looked over his shoulder to face me, I nearly fell to my knees.

The man was Erik.

* * *

The look on Ellie's face after he'd changed form was one of shock. To keep from giving her an even greater shock, Erik kept his back to her as he reached beneath a tree root to grab a pair of jean shorts and shoes, which he promptly put on. Once dressed, he turned to face his love, and had to run in order to catch her fainting form.

Sweeping her up into his arms, Erik felt as though a tremendous weight had been put on his shoulders. This wasn't the way he wanted her to find out about him, about what he really was, and now it was too late to take it back.

'_I should have waited_,' he lectured himself as he carried Ellie into his home and laid her down on the couch.

But that would have meant leaving her to change shape elsewhere, and that was unacceptable. He couldn't risk the vampire returning and snatching her up while he changed and dressed –there had been no choice.

Sighing, Erik quickly checked to see that all the windows and doors were locked, and fetched a glass of water and a cool damp cloth for Ellie's head. When he returned, she was beginning to stir a little. Worried that she might panic and try to run, he knelt beside her, setting the water and cloth on a nearby table just as Ellie's eyes began to open.

"Oh, lord," she groaned, rubbing her head.

"It's alright, my angel," Erik crooned, trying to sooth her. "You've had a very long day. Here, drink this."

He helped her sit up and handed her the glass, which she quickly emptied. When she was finished, Ellie looked over at him and blushed, reminding Erik that he was shirtless.

"I'm sorry," he apologized while setting the glass aside again, "But I didn't dare leave you alone to change. I already risked a great deal just by checking the doors and windows."

She stared blankly at him for a moment, and then, to his horror, tears began to swell in her eyes. "Oh, God, so I didn't dream that? I really did meet that vampire in the woods, and you're really a…"

"Werewolf?" Erik supplied, his voice both amused and mocking. "Well, shape shifter, actually, but werewolf is a term we all use."

"We?" Ellie squeaked. "You mean there are other werewolves?" Realization lit her eyes. "The other wolves I saw! Those were werewolves, too!"

He hesitated, wondering if he should betray Jacob and the Quileute, but decided against it. That was their secret, one that few were privy to. Still, there was one thing Erik could be honest about…

"Yes, those were other werewolves," he admitted. "We discovered the vampire trailing you a while ago, and set to keeping an eye on you, for your protection. Unfortunately, you slipped away from us. That was when we knew we had to find you before it was too late. You're very lucky that we got there in time."

Ellie buried her face in her hands. "This is just…way too much for me. Vampires and werewolves actually existing…it's just impossible!"

She suddenly sat up, raising her head to look at him. "Oh, my God, I've been dating a werewolf…or shape shifter…"

Erik could sense that Ellie was close to a panic attack, and knew he had to do something. Taking a deep breath, he reached out, grabbed her firmly by the shoulders and gave her a little shake, snapping her back to herself.

"You have to calm down," he said firmly. "I have to know what, if anything, the vampire said to you before I got there. Whatever he said or did, I have to know so that I can keep you safe."

A stream of words flowed from her mouth, some of it nonsensical babble, but from what Erik could decipher, the vampire had attempted to force Ellie into becoming one of the undead. The whole idea made his blood boil, and he had to close his eyes to calm himself down. When he opened them again, it was to the sight of Ellie quivering in her seat, arms wrapped around her legs with her head propped on them as she tried to hold herself together.

"Oh, angel," Erik crooned sympathetically, sitting next to her and pulling her into his lap, his arms wrapping her in a tight embrace. "I know that you're frightened and badly shaken by what has happened, but you're safe now, and I promise that I will do everything in my power to keep you that way."

* * *

Sitting in Erik's arms, I managed to stop shivering and calm down a little, though my mind still raced with the things that had happened.

This was all just too weird and surreal for me. First, vampires were real, and one had apparently decided that I was going to become one of the undead. Then a pack of werewolves appear, and one of them turns out to be my boyfriend!

The warm, solid, comforting arms around me were what brought the whole thing into perspective. Werewolves were real, but clearly they weren't monsters, or else Erik would care so much about (and dare I say, love) me.

"Well, I guess all monsters aren't all bad," I whispered, and was rewarded with Erik's chuckle.

"Horror stories tend to give us a bad reputation," he softly replied, tangling a hand in my hair. "Not all werewolves are bad, though I've yet to encounter an evil one. And not all vampires are evil, either, for I've met some very kind ones. You don't have to fear all of us, just be aware that bad ones exist, and be careful."

I pulled back to look up at him. "I don't fear you," I told him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I know you're a good man."

Erik gave a happy sigh and pulled me closer to him, the heat of his bare chest radiating through my clothes and into my body. It was comforting.

"I'm glad you don't fear me," he said, looking me in the eye. "I would hate to be feared by my soulmate."

A gasp almost choked me, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe, much less speak. Erik thought I was his soulmate? Was that why I always felt safe with him, no matter where we were or what we were doing? No matter what my head was screaming at me, my heart always felt at ease whenever we were alone, and even though he was moving things forward at what most people (including myself) might consider rather swift, I somehow felt as though it was the perfect pace.

"Angel," Erik whispered, tilting my head back so that his lips hovered above my own. "I knew from the moment we met that you were the other half of my heart. Did you not feel it as well, when our hands first touched?"

I _had_ felt it, and it explained all the things my heart had been trying to tell me, but which my head told me to ignore. Now that I knew what it was, my head gave up its arguments, and my heart crowed in triumph.

"I love you," I whispered, surprising us both.

He breathed in sharply, then proceeded to give me the most wonderful, searing kiss I'd ever experienced.

For several minutes, I sat in his lap, experiencing his tongue doing wonderful things to mine. When he pulled back to let us breathe, I saw heat, love, and desperation in his eyes.

"Marry me," he pleaded, his voice soft and warm as velvet.

There was no hesitation as I answered, "Yes."

* * *

AN: Don't worry, there's still more to come. It's not over yet, not with a vampire on the loose. Thanks for reading, and please review!


	10. Revelations

Disclaimer: I don't own anything _**Phantom of the Opera**_ or _**Twilight**_ (though I wish I did). Only original characters belong to me.

AN: Yup, I'm updating early! I will probably head off into the Caribbean with another _**Pirates**_ story, so keep a sharp eye out for that. Thanks for reading, and please review!

**Chapter 10: Revelations:**

Sitting in at my desk, I sighed and tried to focus on work. Before me was another bouquet of flowers, this one made entirely of beautiful red roses and baby's breath. Erik had sent it to me, and the mere sight of them sent a thrill of joy up my spine. Now that we were engaged, I had told him it was okay to send red roses.

'_Oh, my gosh, I can't believe I'm engaged_!' I squealed inside my head.

On my finger glittered a princess cut diamond of the finest quality, set in swirling vines of platinum, with little black diamonds as the leaves of the vines. The dark gems enhanced the white clarity of the diamond, and made it stand out against my hand. It was a beautiful ring.

Unfortunately, our engagement wasn't under 'normal' circumstances.

* * *

After Erik's surprise proposal, the two of us spent a few hours curled up on the couch, basking in each other's company and talking a great deal. I ended up spending the night at Erik's house, sleeping on the couch with my protective werewolf bodyguard and fiancé curled up beside me. Never in my whole life had I ever slept so peacefully, knowing that I was safe from every evil thing that lay outside his door.

Nor had I ever slept so cozily, either. Apparently Erik's high body temperature was due to his werewolf gene, and his body heat kept me in a blanket of pure warmth. I didn't even need a blanket; the arm he had draped around my waist, combined with his body heat, kept me happily toasty.

The next morning, I woke up to him staring down at me, eyes sparkling in amusement and happiness. "Did you sleep well?" he asked, running fingers through my hair.

I smiled up at him. "Yes, I did, thank you. And you? I hope you didn't stay awake all night."

He sighed. "I couldn't risk sleeping, not with the vampire still out on the loose."

As he said that, a shiver went up my spine. I had nearly forgotten about that, and Erik had brought the problem back home.

"You will have to think about it sooner or later, my love," he whispered, holding me tightly. "Just remember what I said: not all supernatural creatures are evil, but not all of us are good. The vampire you encountered was evil, but there are others out there who are kind-hearted and generous, like any human is."

"But how do you know?" I asked, looking into his eyes. "How can you be sure the vampires you know aren't misleading you or anyone else?"

"I know because I've seen the good they have done," Erik calmly replied. "I have seen them treat humans like actual people, not prey to be consumed. In fact, there are groups of vampires who live off the blood of animals, rather than humans, which makes them unique for their kind."

He hesitated. "Actually, there's a group of them living here in Forks, which is probably why that other vampire was here in the first place."

Okay, that was unexpected, and had better be explained. "You'd better tell me what you mean, Erik, or I'm going to be _very_ pissed off with you," I firmly told him.

For a moment, he hesitated. "Though it is their secret, you're in far too deep to be kept in the dark any longer." Erik took a deep breath. "It's the Cullen family."

I couldn't help it –I chuckled. "The Cullens?" I said in disbelief. "The _Cullens_ are vampires."

Just then, it all made sense. I remembered everything I'd learned from books and movies, and compared it with what I knew about the Cullen family.

They were all far paler than anyone I'd ever seen, and they almost never went out in sunlight. I had often asked Alice and Bella to join me for trips to the park on warm, sunny days, and they'd always made excuses not to go.

From experience, I knew that their skin was ice-cold, no matter what temperature it was outside. Something inside of me had said that their cold skin was not normal, but I'd ignored it for the kindness and friendship they'd showed me.

But what finally convinced me was the fact that, no matter where I was with them, or what we were doing, I had _never_ seen the Cullens eat or drink anything. At the fundraiser, they had been the only ones without drinks or food in their hands, and anytime I needed to stop for a bite to eat, they never ordered anything. When most people got the munchies, the Cullens somehow stayed untouched by hunger.

Except I knew that they did, in fact, experience hunger; it was just for something else.

Erik grasped my chin and forced me to look him in the eye. "No matter what you believe now, the Cullens are good. Alice and Bella are genuinely fond of you, and call you their friend. Carlisle is a great and compassionate doctor, as you know from experience."

That was true. Alice and Bella _were_ my friends, and Dr. Cullen was probably the best doctor I'd ever seen. If all they had wanted to do was kill me and feast on my blood, rather than be my friend, they'd have done so a long time ago. Besides, Dr. Cullen worked around a lot of other people, some of them bleeding when they encountered him in the emergency room at the hospital. Most vampires would have taken advantage of having so many bleeding, helpless people lying around them –that Dr. Cullen _hadn't_ spoke volumes about the type of person he was.

I relaxed and sighed. "Okay, you're right. If the Cullens were typical vampires, they'd have done some horrible things to me by now, and since they haven't…well, that means the obvious." I looked at him. "And since you're a werewolf, that means you'd know if they were evil or not."

During a long talk between us last night, I had learned a great deal about werewolves. From what Erik had told me, vampires and werewolves were archenemies, and the two tended not to get along very well. If Erik said that the Cullens were "good" vampires, then I was going to trust his judgment.

Included in our talk was the story of Erik's past, and how he had grown up in France. He told me all about his family history, dating back centuries to the ancestor who had brought the werewolf gene to the bloodline. After that, I learned about his childhood, the deaths of his parents, and of his foster-uncle, Nadir Khan, who had stayed behind in France to manage Erik's finances and estates while Erik started over in Forks.

"There's also something else you should know," my husband-to-be grudgingly continued. "There is a treaty between the Cullen clan and the werewolf pack here in Forks."

Okay, he had mentioned there being a werewolf pack living near here, but had not gone beyond that little detail. I assumed that he was part of it, even in a minor way. But apparently, there was more to this than I'd thought.

"Care to expand on that?" I drawled, trying to sound nonchalant.

Erik cleared his throat. "The wolf packs here in Forks are made up of Quileute men and women who have the gene. Jacob is the head of one pack, and his soulmate is Bella and Edward's daughter, Renesmee."

* * *

That little revelation had almost caused me to have a stroke. Not only was my boyfriend-turned-fiancé a werewolf, but so were Jacob Black and most of his friends. Plus, the Cullens were vampires, and it turned out that Bella had a half-vampire daughter who was going to end up marrying Jacob.

'_Eh, why not_?' I wondered, trying to just go with it while my head still spun with everything I'd learned.

"Hey, Ellie, those folders aren't going to label themselves," commented a voice above my desk.

Snapping back to reality, I saw Charlie giving me an amused, but chiding look. My cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Sorry. I've got a lot on my mind lately."

Charlie glanced at the roses. "I can see that. Has your relationship with Erik taken a step forward? Seems like he wouldn't send red roses unless it had."

I blushed even harder. "Yeah, it's actually a really big step," I admitted, smiling nervously. I really didn't want my boss to know the news before my parents, but you really shouldn't try and hide things from the cops, particularly when you work for the chief-of-police.

His eyes automatically darted towards my left ring finger, and noted the ring. I chuckled. "It's Erik's design. Apparently he's had it for a while, and was just waiting for the right time to propose."

"I knew it," Charlie replied, reaching out to clap my shoulder. "So, when's the big announcement?"

"Not for a while," I sighed. "Erik and I wanted to wait and savor the moment a little bit before we announce it publicly. I haven't even told my parents yet, but I'm going to do that tonight."

"So it probably wouldn't be a good idea for me to tell Bella," Charlie sighed in disappointment.

I gave him a sympathetic smile. "Sorry. My folks have got to know before my friends do, with you being the exception. I'd appreciate it if you kept it quiet, Chief."

He swore himself to secrecy, and headed off to finish his work, leaving me to try and focus on my own job, rather than the roses and romance going on in my life.

* * *

Donovan sneered. From outside the police station, he'd heard that the one destined to be his mate was going to marry the werewolf. How disgusting.

"Ellie," he whispered, moving away from the open window and off into the woods.

It was short for Elicia; this he knew from a careful search of her home, just after she'd left for work this morning. Moving as swiftly and discreetly as possible, he had slipped past the inferior locks she kept on her back door and into her home.

After that, it had been child's play to find the information he sought. On her dining room table were her credit card bills, and from them, Donovan was able to deduce a few things about her. A brief look through her wardrobe, living room, and bookshelves yielded more valuable information, and Donovan had felt more than pleased with himself –until now.

Snarling under his breath, he started running through the forest, trying to clear his head. He didn't know how much time he had left before the official announcement was made, and there was much to do. He couldn't afford to let his anger rule him, not now.

Focusing his mind on two objectives, he sped through the forest while his mind sought a way to obtain the thing he desired. There was no doubt that the werewolf would fight for his intended, so there was only one option: eliminate his rival.

The problem was doing it without bringing himself under suspicion. Donovan knew that the other wolves would hunt him down, much like they'd tried to do last night. They'd failed to catch him –he'd leapt into the ocean and swam ashore elsewhere, far from their territory. He'd had to be careful returning, but he had made it back to the Cullen home with no one the wiser. That was how he intended to keep it.

Thus far, the Cullens knew nothing about his attempt to turn Ellie into one of their kind. Even little Alice, hadn't Seen it, and Donovan was adapt at closing his thoughts against intrusion –he had to be, considering who he worked for. Edward Cullen never suspected a thing, either.

But the difficult part was remaining off their radar while he put his plan into action…and there was only one way to do that.

* * *

Inside the Cullen home, peace was restored. Donovan Olivier was gone, traveling back to Italy to report his findings to Aro, head of the Volturi.

"My time here is finished," he said coldly, blood-red eyes sweeping over all of them. "I'm sure you are all relieved about my departure, but my visit was necessary."

As such, the Cullens were able to return to their "ordinary" lives, each of them finally able to indulge in some privacy the likes of which they hadn't experienced since Monsieur Olivier arrived.

Alice chose to curl up on the couch with a new book she'd bought, and Bella had decided to join her. But just as she reached the middle of her book, Alice froze in her seat, her eyes gazing off into the distance as a vision came over her. Bella, who sat reading nearby, recognized the signs and immediately began to wait, hovering at her sister-in-law's side until Alice came to herself and looked around. The bleak look on her face indicated that they needed to have a family meeting, and fast.

Once the entire Cullen clan was gathered in the living room, Alice told them of her vision. "I saw Ellie in pain, possibly being tortured, but I can't see who, or what is the cause of it. I'm afraid that she's in very real danger."

She hesitated a moment. "I also saw a diamond ring on her left hand, which means that, by the time my vision comes to pass, Erik will have asked her to marry him, if he hasn't done so already."

Carlisle scowled. "As much as I like Elicia, it wouldn't be a good idea for us to try guarding her. If she's engaged to a werewolf, she's under their jurisdiction. One of us will have to tell Erik and Jacob what we know, and let the wolves do what they do best: protect those who are in danger. I doubt they'd let us intrude."

Alice's frown was as deep as Carlisle's. "I don't like the idea of leaving this entirely up to the wolves. I know we can be of help!"

Esme put a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "He's right, Alice. I like Elicia, too, but if she's marrying a werewolf, we should let them take point on this. Besides, they can travel in sunlight, and we can't risk exposure. If they need us, they'll tell us. In the meantime," she turned towards her family, "We need to get word out to the reservation, or at least to Erik and Ellie."

Since she was on good terms with them, Bella agreed to call Jacob and have him meet her so that she could break the bad news.

* * *

"So that's all we know," Bella said, shrugging.

Inside, Erik was glad none of the Cullens knew that the wolves suspected the vampire that was visiting them. Even though Ellie trusted the Cullen clan, he and his werewolf side still had difficulty accepting a vampire as a friend. That was why he'd asked Jacob and the other Quileute tribe members to keep the identity of Ellie's stalker a secret.

Jacob hadn't been happy about keeping secrets from Bella, who was not only his friend but also his soulmate's mother. However, he understood that they couldn't risk Donovan finding out anything from the Cullens, so the vampire clan had to remain in the dark about everything.

'_Not __**everything**__, exactly_,' Erik backpedaled. '_It's obvious they know something bad will happen, they just don't know that it's Donovan who will try and hurt Ellie_.'

Well, technically, no one was sure if it was the vampire Donovan who was the threat. Apparently, he had left early today to return to Italy, but Erik wasn't so sure the bloodsucker would give up that easily.

'_At least Ellie isn't around to hear this_.' He couldn't stand to see her so frightened.

Thank goodness she was safely tucked away in the Clearwater house, with Leah and Sue keeping her company while the pack talked with Bella.

"Things will be fine, Bella," Jacob assured her. "Now that Ellie knows about all our secrets, it'll be easier to keep an eye on her."

"Yeah, no more slinking through the woods for us," Seth joked, earning a few smacks in the arm from his pack mates.

Bella stiffened. "Ellie knows our secret?" she asked, looking angry and fearful. "How did _that_ happen?"

"I told her," Erik calmly replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "Considering that my secret is connected to the Quileute, and to you through them, it was only natural that it all be out in the open."

Bella was clearly upset, but she still nodded her understanding. "Okay; I can see that. So what are you going to do about Ellie?"

Erik exchanged looks with Jacob and the pack. "We can keep a better eye on her than you can," he drawled out. "We don't even have to be in our wolf forms to do it. Besides, we can move about in sunlight, and I have an excuse to being near her most of the time."

"Okay, bur promise to let us know if you need help," Bella firmly ordered. "We care about Ellie, too, and want to keep her safe."

Then she left, swiftly disappearing into the woods and leaving the wolves to discuss the matter further.

Erik sighed. "Well, time to go collect my fiancée."

"You know Ellie's welcome on our lands anytime, Erik," Jacob said, clamping him on the shoulder. "She's your soulmate, and our law says that werewolves won't harm or mess with the mate of one of our own."

"Besides, Mom likes her," Seth chipped in, smiling. "And sometimes Ellie brings donuts. I saw her take in a couple dozen when I was leaving."

The other pack members perked up at the mention of food. "Donuts," sighed Quil as Embry grinned.

Erik chuckled. The problem with having a high body temperature meant a high metabolism –as such, the wolves had to eat constantly. "Let's go see what we can come up with at your house," he said to Seth. "Perhaps Ellie can come up with a better protection plan than we can."

* * *

AN: I thought I'd mention that there will be no sequel after this story is done. Thanks so much for reading, and please review!


	11. Wedding Horrors

Disclaimer: I don't own anything _**Phantom of the Opera**_ or _**Twilight**_ (though I wish I did). Only original characters belong to me.

AN: Last chapter before the epilogue, and then this story is finished. I'm sad that it wasn't well-received, but hopefully my next one will be. I'll be moving on to _**Pirate**_ territory next, so keep an eye out for it. Thanks so much for reading, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 11: Wedding Horrors:**

For two weeks, I'd been followed by my protection detail, with Jacob and his pack taking the day shift while I was at work. I had told them it wasn't necessary, that I was perfectly safe at the police station, but they always lingered nearby anyway.

At first, I'd been uneasy, knowing that they were close by, but since I spent my entire day inside the station, it became more of a "out of sight, out of mind" situation. Jacob promised that they'd stay close, but since I never saw them, I was almost able to put it out of my thoughts.

What happened _after_ work was far different. Erik was the one who stayed with me from the moment I clocked out of the station, right up to the minute he dropped me off at the station front door. And because he wouldn't let me out of his sight, he spent every second he could at my side. Needless to say, I much preferred the evening watch.

Presently, it was after dinner, and I was happily curled up in Erik's lap, my head against his bare chest as I drank in the unusual warmth his body produced. With one hand, he caressed my hair while the other held me close and stroked my back. It was comforting, and considering what my life was like now, I very much needed it.

"What shall we talk about tonight, my dear?" Erik murmured into my hair.

I snickered. "What we always talk about when we're alone: the wedding."

My parents had already been told about my engagement, as had Erik's friend Nadir, and all of them were thrilled about it. We hadn't settled on a date quite yet, but we were getting close. All the other details would fall into place once we had a date.

Erik hummed in thought. "Perhaps we could have the ceremony on the Quileute reservation?" he suggested. "And perhaps the reception at the Cullen home?"

This wasn't the first time he'd brought up these locations, and once again, I had to shoot down the idea. "The Cullens can't go on Quileute land," I reminded him. "It's part of the treaty, remember? "

However, I still thought it weird that the wolves were alright with going to the Cullen house. That just wasn't fair, and it was up to me to form a compromise.

"How about we have it on neutral land?" I suggested. "Someplace where they can all gather and _not_ try to kill each other? Especially since I really would like to have the Cullens there, given that they are friends of mine."

Erik looked thoughtful. "Perhaps a meadow of wildflowers somewhere, or a wedding on the beach?"

I shivered. "No, the beach here is far too cold for a wedding. I do like the meadow idea, though."

"Then it's settled," he said, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "There's a meadow that's not far from the borders of the reservation, so everyone can attend. Then we'll have the reception at the Cullen home, just to be fair."

"Perfect," I whispered, tilting my head to kiss him. "Now, about wedding guests…"

* * *

'_Oh, my god, I can't believe I'm getting married tomorrow_!' I thought excitedly as I finished with my dinner dishes.

Finally, after two months of bodyguards, fretting, and planning with Sue Clearwater, Alice, Bella, Esme, and even Rosalie, the big day had finally arrived. My dress was hanging in the Cullen house, to be delivered by Alice (who had also designed it) early tomorrow morning when she swung by to pick me up. She would then take me to the large tent that was set up in the field where Erik and I would be getting married.

Meanwhile, my fiancée was at his own house, with Jacob to keep him company. He wasn't allowed to see me tonight, as it was the night before the wedding, and he wasn't very happy about it, either. Not only did he hate leaving me "unprotected," but he didn't like the idea of being apart from me, either. Oh, well, it was only for tonight, and I wasn't _really_ unprotected -Seth Clearwater was outside keeping watch, and all my windows and doors were shut and locked, so I was fairly confident in my safety.

As the last plate was tucked away, I shut the cupboard door and sighed, just as a hand cupped over my mouth. I tried to scream, but only muffled sounds escaped the tight grip of my captor. An arm slid around my waist, holding me fast as I tried to struggle free. That was when I realized the hand over my mouth was ice-cold, and the body behind me was like marble.

'_Vampire_,' cried a voice in my head.

"Hello, Ellie," purred a voice in my ear. "I'm _so_ glad to see you again."

* * *

It had not been easy for him to return to Italy, but Donovan had done so. After all, he had a task to perform, and Aro did not like to be kept waiting.

Once his report had been given, he had been dismissed; leaving him free to do as he pleased until the next time the Volturi needed his services. With that freedom, Donovan immediately returned to America, intent on devising a plan to obtain his desire. He knew it would not be easy to avoid the visions of Alice Cullen, but it could be done; all he must do was be patient, watch, and wait, putting off deciding on a plan until the last possible moment.

It was child's play to gain entry into Forks. The wolves may be masters of the forest, but they could not climb trees, and that is where Donovan spent a majority of his time. For a vampire, climbing was simple, and he could easily make his way through the wolves' territory and avoid being sensed. Plus, if he kept away from the Cullen home and their usual haunts, then they wouldn't be able to track him, either.

Once in Forks, he heard talk about an upcoming wedding, and obtained a local newspaper to find out the latest gossip. Sure enough, there it was: the wedding announcement of Elicia Fox to Erik Garnier, with it a photo of the two together, smiling. There was also the wedding date, which meant he had little time to act.

It had taken all of Donovan's strength to not find someone and rip their throat out at _that_ little discovery. Still, he restrained himself long enough to regain his wits, and stick to keeping various paths and options open, so as to throw off little Alice Cullen and her 'gift.' Watching her and waiting for the right moment had been his only option.

Unfortunately, Elicia had a constant bodyguard of werewolves, leaving him with no chance to strike. When she wasn't with her fiancée, she had at least one or two of the others sitting outside her house, or her workplace. The only time the wolves _weren't_ with her was when the female Cullens arrived to help with wedding plans. How fortunate he was that Edward Cullen had no taste in wedding plans and never accompanied his wife, or else things would have gotten rather messy. All Donovan had to do was remain downwind of the wolves and vampires, leaving him undetected.

For two months he watched, waited, and analyzed every move made by Elicia and those around her, knowing that, eventually, they would let their guard down or make a crucial mistake.

Sure enough, his chance came, and none too soon.

It was several nights before the wedding. Donovan had begun to consider a rash plan of action when he overheard a conversation between Elicia and her fiancé, Erik. Their talk surrounded how best to protect her when Erik wasn't around, and Donovan was pleased to hear that Ellie was confident that only one guard would suffice.

"After all, it's only one night," she said while placing a kiss on her fiancée's mouth. "I'll be fine."

Best of all, it had been the youngest werewolf that was put on duty.

Tonight, after leaving several false trails in the woods, Donovan had lured the pup into giving chase, and left him there, chasing one cold trail after another, and leaving Ellie completely unprotected.

After that, it was only a matter of breaking into her home undetected.

"Come along, my dear," he whispered, tying and gagging her so quickly she scarcely had time to blink. "We've a long way to go, and I want to be far from here when they discover you're gone."

* * *

Erik was _not_ happy. Tonight was the eve before his wedding, and his beloved bride was missing. There was little doubt who had taken his Ellie, and Seth had confirmed it. When he had scented Donovan near Ellie's house, he'd immediately raced after the scent, calling Quil and Leah to help join the hunt while Jacob stayed to keep Erik company. This, in turn, had left Ellie completely open and unprotected, resulting in her being abducted.

Deep inside, Erik knew he couldn't blame Seth for this. Since he hadn't been spotted in months, everyone, including Erik, had eventually assumed that Donovan had given up on obtaining Ellie, and decided to stay away permanently. With the threat believed to have faded, Erik decided to give Seth a second chance at guarding Ellie, which the young man appreciated.

'_I don't even blame him for heading off after Donovan's scent_,' Erik admitted to himself. '_He was only doing what most werewolves would have done_.'

Unfortunately for them, the vampire was skilled at leaving false trails, making it difficult, but not impossible, to track him. After a while, the three pack members returned to Ellie's house, only to find it empty, but with the stink of vampire all over it. They immediately contacted Jacob, who regretfully told Erik.

Since it had been his mate that had been taken, it was no wonder that Erik had raced outside, barely making it before he changed shape. His rage was terrible, but Jacob shouted a reminder that they would need the Cullens' help to help settle this score.

That was where they were now: all of them, vampire and werewolves alike, gathered outside the Cullen home. As Erik and the Quileute were in their wolf shapes, Edward had volunteered to translate for them to the Cullens.

"Apparently Alice's vision has come true," Carlisle said to them all. "And it looks as though Donovan Olivier is the one behind it all."

Erik growled and looked over at Edward. "Erik wants to know how no one managed to discover that Donovan had returned," Edward translated out loud.

Carlisle shook his head. "Apparently he managed to find a way to get around Alice's visions, which is something that has happened before. Since he's one of the Volturi, I've no doubt that Donovan has knowledge of all of us, including our abilities, and is using it against us."

"But what's important right now is getting Ellie back," Alice put in. "In my vision, I saw what looked like the interior of a log cabin. I don't think there are many of those around here anymore."

Jacob's ears perked up. Edward and his former rival exchanged glances as he said, "Jacob knows of a few log cabins on or near the reservation, but he doesn't think Donovan would be stupid enough to stay so close to the wolves' home base."

"Which is exactly why we have to check," Bella said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I know that we vampires aren't allowed on Quileute land, but we could check the ones off of the reservation. What do you think?"

Erik nodded his agreement, but leveled a glare at Edward, who nodded and said, "Since it's his mate that's been taken, Erik says that no matter who captures Donovan first, he gets to deal with him."

How fortunate that everyone agreed with him on _that_ little condition.

"In the meantime," Esme put in, "If you guys haven't managed to come back by mid-morning tomorrow, I'll go to the inn in Forks and distract your future in-laws. We can't have them getting involved or asking questions, now, can we?"

Groaning, Erik nodded his agreement. Given the choice, he'd rather deal with the vampire than face Ellie's parents.

* * *

This was definitely _not_ the way I wanted to spend the evening before my wedding. My wrists ached from the chains that bound me to the wall, and I was somewhere between being scared out of my wits and fuming with anger.

'_I should be at home, nervously pacing around and wondering how long it is until Alice shows up to take me to the ceremony_,' I wistfully thought. '_I shouldn't be chained to a wall in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere_! _Especially not with a vampire_!'

And that same vampire was giving me the creepiest look I'd ever seen. It was like he wanted to eat me, or do something much worse, and the gleam in his red eyes made my stomach clench. A shiver went down my spine, but I couldn't tell whether it was from fear, or the coolness of the evening seeping through the cracks in the cabin's walls. Whatever it was, it amused my captor very much.

"You've no reason to fear, dearest Elicia," Donovan crooned, reaching out to stroke my face. "Once I turn you into one of my kind, all will be well. You will be immortal, and I shall treat you like a queen. And being as fair as you are, I'm sure the Volturi, who govern over all vampires, would welcome you into their ranks. I know you could be of use to them."

Then he began to smirk. "How ironic that on your wedding day to the wolf, you will be _my_ mate, rather than his."

I cried out as he grabbed my left arm, twisting is so that my wrist faced him. To my horror, his canines had elongated into fangs, and the predatory look in his eyes intensified, making my blood run cold. I immediately knew what he intended, and tried to pull my hand back.

"Now, now," he chided me in a soft voice. "There will be plenty of time to thrash about after the venom is in your veins. It's best you save your strength."

And then he bit me.

* * *

It hadn't taken Erik long to find his mate's scent –he would follow her around the world and through time itself if he had to.

Behind him were the wolf pack and the Cullens. After Erik had found Ellie's scent along the border of the reservation, he'd signaled Jacob, letting him know of the discovery. Nodding, Jacob had ordered Seth to get the Cullens, and it wasn't long before they joined the hunt, both groups following the trail to an old log cabin several miles away from the Quileute reservation.

As before, Edward served as translator, and as they knew time was of the essence, the two parties put together a plan in minutes. They would encircle the cabin, assess the situation and act as needed.

Everyone had agreed, until the second they heard Ellie scream in pain. Fearing it was too late, Erik, Carlisle, Emmet and Edward raced forward, the others staying outside in case Donovan tried to escape.

Not surprisingly, Erik was the first one through the door, snarling so deeply and loudly that it was almost a roar. Behind him came Carlisle, Emmet and Edward –how fortunate that he had a doctor, plus the strongest and fastest vampires of their clan. Erik tried to tell them to leave, to let him eliminate the threat, but when he saw what was happening, he froze mid-snarl.

There lay Ellie, her left arm clutched in the teeth of the vampire that held her. Her whimpers and cries of agony broke the silence and the shock that had frozen both him and the Cullens, but before Erik could move an inch, the Cullens were there.

Emmet, the strongest of his clan, grabbed Donovan by his long blond hair and hauled his head back, forcing him to release Ellie's arm. Next, Carlisle and Edward each took one of Donovan's arms and held him in place.

"Jasper! Alice!" Carlisle called out the door. "Help take him outside! I have to tend to Ellie before it's too late!" The other two rushed to obey his orders as precious seconds ticked by.

Whining, Erik took a step forward, wanting to console his beloved, but stopped as Carlisle put a frigid hand on his shoulder. "I have to train the venom out of her," he said, kneeling down to grasp Ellie's wrist. "I know this will be hard to watch, but it must be done, or she will become one of my kind."

Erik nodded, then sat back to wait during the longest moments of his life.

* * *

The pain searing through me was incredible. It felt like hot melted glass was being pumped through my veins, and one or twice, I thought I would faint from the painful haze that enveloped me.

Through my fog-wrapped mind, I could sense someone pulling Donovan away, forcing him to release me and remove his teeth from my wrist. I could hear Carlisle talking, and the next thing I knew, he was leaning over me.

"Ellie, I'm going to drain the vampire venom from you," he said in his most kindly and professional voice. "It's going to hurt, but Erik is here, so don't worry."

I could only whimper in anguish before I once again felt teeth sink into my flesh, and let out a cry that was half a scream. For the second time today, torment exploded inside my body, but now it wasn't just someone biting me –it was also someone draining my blood.

Deep inside, I knew that Carlisle was doing it to save my life, but it still hurt like hell. I saw lights and shadows flash in front of my eyes, and then, when I knew I couldn't take it anymore, I fainted.

* * *

Erik watched in horror as Ellie passed out, her beautiful brown eyes rolling up into her head as her body went limp. Carlisle was still draining the venom from her body, so Erik dared not interrupt, not yet. He had to wait until Carlisle was finished, or else…

Suddenly, the vampire doctor jerked back, and Erik had to fight the urge to vomit. Carlisle was a good person, but the sight of Ellie's blood trickling down his pale chin made Erik want to tear the vampire's throat out.

"It's done," Dr. Cullen said, reaching into his pocket for a handkerchief. "Do you want to take her home, or should we?"

Erik growled and looked over his shoulder as Edward came in, an earnest look on his face.

"I'm sure Erik will want to take his fiancée home now," he said, eying Erik sympathetically. "Unless you'd prefer to deal with Donovan yourself?"

He thought about it, then sighed. Ellie was far more important, but Erik was no doctor. He mentally thought his answer to Edward, who nodded and turned towards his foster father.

"Erik says it would be better if you treated Ellie, and once you're finished, he'll come get her from our house. While you're dressing her injuries, we'll think of something to tell her parents."

Carlisle nodded. "She'll be fine in a couple days. I didn't have to drain too much blood from her, since we got here just when Donovan started the process. A few days of rest, and she should be alright."

Relieved, Erik sighed and slowly backed out of the cabin as Carlisle scooped up Ellie's unconscious form. "Don't worry," the doctor assured him as they headed out into the open. "Go deal with Donovan. We'll see you at our place later tonight, and then you can go tell Ellie's parents to put the wedding off for a few days. I'm sure they'll understand. Esme, Rosalie, Bella, I'll need your help with this."

With that, several Cullens vanished into the woods, leaving the others behind to help with the "clean up."

Looking at his enemy, Erik bared his teeth, taking great satisfaction in the fear that shone in the vampire's eyes. Donovan had seen his fate, and Erik and his fellow wolves would not make it a pleasant one.

* * *

AN: Just the epilogue left! Review!


	12. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own anything _**Phantom of the Opera**_ or _**Twilight**_ (though I wish I did). Only original characters belong to me.

AN: Here it is: the final part of my crossover. Thanks so much to those of you who read, but an even bigger one to those who reviewed as well. I really appreciate the support, and hope to see some of you over in the _**Pirates**_ category. Meanwhile, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

**Epilogue:**

Sighing, Erik looked out over the wide space of his backyard. He could hear the welcome sound of clanking dishes, pans, and the occasional curse word, or humming, all very homey sounds that he had happily gotten used to.

'_It's hard to believe how much we had to go through to get here_,' he thought, shaking his head.

* * *

First, there was the long, and rather vague, explanation on why the wedding had to be postponed for a few days. Alice, quick thinker that she was, had explained that, in her excitement and nervousness, Ellie had clumsily dropped a glass dish, and injured herself severely in the cleanup.

"Lucky for her that I'd decided to stop by early to check on her," Alice had said, smiling politely at Mr. and Mrs. Fox. "I took her up to my father, who's a doctor, and he patched her up in no time. There was a bit of blood loss, but she'll be fine."

Fortunately, by the time they anxiously went to visit their injured daughter at the Cullen home, Ellie was conscious and able to confirm the story.

"I'm not normally that clumsy, but given my pre-wedding jitters, it's no wonder I got myself into this mess," she joked, smiling reassuringly at her parents. "I plan on healing up really fast so that I can marry this wonderful man."

Erik, who had been standing by her bed, clutching her hand as though his life depended on it, had smiled down at her and pressed an affectionate kiss to her forehead. Her parents would never know the truth, but then, would they even believe it if he told them?

Three days later, once everyone (including Dr. Cullen) was sure that Ellie had fully recovered from her 'incident,' they all gathered together for a long-awaited wedding. Ellie's mother had wondered if the marriage was a good idea after what had happened to her daughter, but Ellie refused to back out.

"I love him, Mom, and he loves me," she assured her overly concerned parent. "I want to marry him, and one injury isn't going to stop me from being happy."

And so, bearing a heavily bandaged wrist, she had floated up the aisle to join Erik at the altar, her father beaming proudly as he handed her over to Erik's care. Much to Erik's relief, the soft white gauze of the bandage had perfectly matched the color of Ellie's long-sleeved wedding gown, so no one really noticed it.

The ceremony itself had been brief, which was just how they preferred it. The local chief justice had been amused at how antsy Erik had been throughout the exchanging of vows, but she'd managed to keep a straight face, for appearances sake.

But Erik's favorite part had been the reception. There were vampires, werewolves, and humans alike, all mingling together, though about ninety percent of the humans there had no idea they were partying with two supernatural races. Ellie's aunts, uncles, and parents merely enjoyed the expensive appetizers, food, and wines that Erik had provided, and talked with those that the bride and groom counted as friends. It was a rather peaceful evening, filled with music, laughter, and best of all, a constant stream of affectionate kisses from his wife.

* * *

"Finally!" he heard Ellie exclaim from the kitchen. There was the sound of the oven closing, and something being put on top of the stove. "That ought to do it."

Grinning, he turned in time to see her join him. "Okay, I'm here," she said, standing on tiptoe to press a kiss to his cheek. "Go have fun with the pack, but not too much roughhousing. I don't want you coming back with leaves and sticks tangled in your fur again. Dinner is in _three hours_."

He chuckled and snatched her close to him. She giggled and let him kiss her soundly as she snuggled into his embrace. Content, Erik sighed and pulled back just so he could bury his face in her hair. Today, it smelled of chocolate chip cookies, which she'd hand out to the pack when they got back from their pre-dinner run through the forest.

"Seriously, after all they did for me, a few meals or treats a week is the least I could offer them," she'd said the first time Jacob's pack had come over for dinner.

From outside came a wolf's howl, signaling the start of their nightly patrols. Erik was glad that the Volturi had disavowed Donovan's actions, and though they had been angry with his final demise, they swore not to retaliate. With the Cullens and werewolves all concentrated in that area, they wouldn't dare risk any warriors on such a dangerous venture.

'_That doesn't prevent us from patrolling, though_,' he thought with a smirk.

Even Sam Uley, leader of the second Quileute wolf pack, had agreed to the patrols, with the two packs alternating weeks so that no one ended up drained. Erik was unhappy that Sam had not gotten involved with Ellie's rescue, but Sam tended to distrust vampires to the extreme, so it was understandable why he wouldn't work with the Cullens, or anyone who was close to them. Although he understood this, Erik knew it would take time to forgive Sam for his lack of help.

"Okay, off you go," Ellie said, smacking him gently in the arm. "As much as I love seeing you shirtless and in shorts, you've got work to do. I'll have dinner ready when you come back."

Ellie had never been much of a cook, but with the lessons Sue Clearwater had been giving her, she'd come a long way. She'd recently quit her job at the police station, not just because she wanted to just stay at home and be a happy housewife, but for another reason, one far more important.

Erik leaned over and pressed a gentle hand to his wife's bulging belly. "I'll see you soon, little one," he whispered, rubbing it carefully. "Take good care of Mama now."

She put a hand on his arm. "Oh, I forgot. Esme invited us over for a movie night tomorrow. We get to pick the lineup this time."

Ellie's friendship with the Cullens was yet another reason for the wolves (or Jacob's pack, at least) to become allies with them. So far, things were a bit better, though the vampires were still forbidden on Quileute lands. Movie nights together were one way of bringing the two races together, at least for a few hours a week.

Giving his wife one last kiss, Erik bounded out the door, changed shape, and dove into the forest, his howl of joy joining with the rest of the pack's.

* * *

Smiling, I watched my husband vanish into the foliage and rubbed my belly. As though on cue, it gave a harsh kick to the ribs, causing me to wince. Just three more months, I chanted inside my head.

"Oh, yeah, you've got your daddy's strength, little one," I murmured out loud. "Now, be good and I'll have a cookie later. How's that sound?"

There was the tiniest flutter, as though the baby understood me. I wouldn't be surprised if it did; werewolves were telepathic, after all, and since I was its mommy, having a mental link to my baby only made sense.

Chuckling, I headed into the kitchen, humming as I rubbed my belly.

* * *

AN: That's the end! Thanks so much for reading!


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